IDF official says Israel will not return bodies of Gaza terrorists

"Israel must use the bodies as a bargaining chip against Hamas and hold them until a solution is found and the soldiers are returned," says father of slain IDF officer.

By TAL LEV RAM/MAARIV

APRIL 1, 2018 13:41

Updated: APRIL 1, 2018 14:25

UN condemns Israel after over 15 Palestinian casualties in Gaza Land Day protests, March 31, 2018 (Reuters)

Israel will not return the bodies of terrorists killed by the IDF while carrying out terror attacks on the Israel-Gaza border, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai posted on the IDF's Arabic Facebook page on Sunday.

Mordechai wrote that the bodies of two terrorists taken into Israeli custody on Friday were added to the 24 bodies being held by Israel.

He also issued a statement blaming Hamas for the pain experienced by the residents of Gaza.

"The Hamas terror organization that controls Gaza does not care about either the living or the dead. It is preventing the Muslim burial of the bodies," he wrote. "Israel will not rest and Gaza will know no peace until Israelis return from the strip and our soldiers are brought to burial in Israel."

Israel has said that 10 of the Palestinians killed over the weekend were people with terrorist records who were shot while carrying out terrorist activities.

At least 10 known terrorists with track records of terrorist activity were killed whilst carrying out acts of terror during the violent riots along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip on Friday March 30, 2018 pic.twitter.com/FgwgmLzvdn
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 1, 2018

Earlier on Sunday, the family of IDF officer Lieutenant Hadar Goldin petitioned the government and the security establishment, demanding that they not return the bodies.

"Israel must use the bodies as a bargaining chip against Hamas and hold them until a solution is found and the soldiers are returned," said Prof. Simcha Goldin, the father of Hadar, who died in Operation Protective Edge and whose remains are being held by Hamas."Since the cabinet decisions have not been fully implemented, we feel it necessary to make clear our position on this issue."

Stay updated with the latest news!

Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter

Subscribe Now

Six weeks ago the Goldin family filed an urgent petition to the High Court of Justice to issue a temporary injunction over the government's decision to release the bodies of terrorists who carried out attacks against Israeli citizens, policemen and IDF soldiers.

The family based their petition on a January 2017 Security Cabinet decision stating that Israel would hold on to the bodies of terrorists who "carried out exceptional terrorist attacks," as well as "the bodies of terrorists belonging to Hamas."

According to the Goldin family, the government has deviated from its decisions several times since then and it fears it will do it again now.