“Rest in peace, Hadar. The path of righteousness you left behind will continue to guide us, with your image engraved on the nation’s heart.”By World Isael News StaffThousands gathered in Kfar Saba on Monday to accompany Lt. Hadar Goldin on his final journey, 4,120 days after his body was dragged into a Gaza tunnel during Operation Protective Edge in 2014.Eleven years later, Israel finally laid to rest one of its most beloved sons — a symbol of courage, faith, and the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish nation.At the funeral, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir eulogized Goldin.Speaking before a sea of mourners, Zamir said, “An entire nation stands today as one great formation of Hadar. We accompany him on his final path — a path he was worthy of long ago. The IDF never gave up for a moment. Hadar’s return was made possible through the operational might of our forces. I pledge that we will continue to uphold this sacred duty.”Zamir continued, “The circle is closed. Operation Protective Edge has ended. Rest in peace, Hadar. The path of righteousness you left behind will continue to guide us, with your image engraved on the nation’s heart.”Hadar’s father, Prof. Simcha Goldin, spoke with quiet pride and deep pain. “Hadar was unique in his way — he touched people. This great crowd is proof of that. A person like him deserves to be remembered, and each of you should take something of Hadar with you from this day forward. If we live by his example, we will lift the people of Israel to a higher level.”He urged the nation to follow his son’s legacy of moral strength and unity. “Walk in the way of righteousness,” he said. “Do not hate one another. Hadar asked his mother to teach him to sew, and he embroidered by hand the words ‘Strength and Humility.’ He was a Jewish warrior.”His mother, Leah Goldin, recalled finding a note her son had written at age 16 to his Bnei Akiva youth group. “You wrote, ‘We strive for greatness, but in reality we see darkness. We see a tribe that is broken and divided. What should we do? We must begin to work, to gather rays of light, and slowly reach our goal.’” Fighting back tears, she concluded simply, “You know that I love you. Rest in peace, my son.”Hadar’s siblings — who for over a decade carried the family’s mission to bring him home — spoke with passion and defiance. His brother Hemi turned toward Gaza in his eulogy: “To the vile creatures there, who call themselves Hamas — you are made of mud and filth. Look closely at this people and this family standing here today. The family of Israel is not to be messed with. We bring everyone home.”His sister Ayelet addressed the soldiers who took part in the mission to recover her brother’s remains. “I don’t know you, but I wish I could shake your hands and hug each one of you. You brought my brother back. Not Hamas — you. ‘Thank you’ feels too small; we need a new language for gratitude.”His brother Tzur spoke of Hamas’s strategy of psychological warfare. “Hamas’s kidnapping terror is aimed not only at soldiers but at our families, to break Israeli society from within — to force us to choose who is worth more. Our victory in this war will be when the title of Israeli society is clear: we never abandon one another.”As the ceremony drew to a close, the mourners joined in singing Hatikva, the Israeli national anthem. The familiar melody echoed across the cemetery, mingling sorrow with pride — a reminder of the hope that has sustained the Jewish people through generations, and of the sacrifice of those like Hadar Goldin who gave their lives so that Israel could live.After 11 long years, Lt. Hadar Goldin was finally laid to rest in his homeland. His courage, faith, and love for his people will forever remain a beacon for Israel — a testament to the nation that never forgets its sons.The post Israel bids farewell to Hadar Goldin appeared first on World Israel News.