Israeli Prime, Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said his government is “exerting secret and public efforts to identify the fate of missing soldiers in Gaza.”
His remarks follow a protest organized by the family of missing Israeli soldier, Avraham Mangisto, on Sunday in front of Netanyahu’s office. Protesters called for Mangisto’s release in the Israeli-Turkish reconciliation deal.
Ilan Mangisto, the brother of Avraham said he questions whether “the Israeli government forgot my brother in Gaza.”
Families of Israeli Soldiers Killed or Missing in Gaza Slam Expected Reconciliation Deal wi… https://t.co/B7ZEJ882pY #Israel #Flotilla
— maafa (@maafa) June 26, 2016
The father of Hadar Goldin, another Israeli soldier who went missing during the 2014 offensive on Gaza accused Netanyahu of “failure to bring his son back in the first test as part of the Israeli-Turkish reconciliation deal.”
The mother of Israeli soldier, Oren Shaul, said, “I was wrong to be silent for two years. I am angry at the army who sends soldiers to battles and never brings them back.”
Hamas announced the capture of Oren Shaul during a battle in Gaza’s eastern neighborhood of Shejaiya on July 20, 2014.
#IsraeltheRegion #IsraelInside #OronShaul #HadarGoldin #GazaStrip Families demand return of KIA soldiers as… https://t.co/Sjdjt8vSnG
— Israel News (@IsraelNewsNow) June 25, 2016
On August 1, 2014, Israel announced losing contact with another army officer named Hadar Goldin in Rafah, following the exchange of fire with Hamas fighters.
Israel said that Avraham Mangisto infiltrated the Gaza Strip in September 2014, which Hamas refused to comment on, until recently when it announced the capture of the Israeli man.
Ten years ago, Hamas captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Schalit, during an attack on a military post to the east of Rafah.
Five years later, Hamas released Schalit in exchange for 1050 Palestinians; many of whom were sentenced to life in Israeli jails.
Hamas says it will not release the missing Israelis until Israel agrees to exchange them for thousands of Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails.
(PC, SAMA)
