The Goldin family warned it would remove its gloves and stiffen its battle to secure the release from Hamas of the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin, 23, and St.-Sgt. Oren Shaul, 20, believed to have been killed in the 2014 Gaza war.
“We have come to understand that our appropriate behavior and our cooperation with the system over the last six years has given the country’s leaders the message that they do not have to take action to return soldiers from battlefield,” Leah and Simha Goldin said.
They spoke out after meeting Sunday with Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz. He was the IDF chief of staff during that war.
Upon entering his position as defense minister last month, Gantz met with representatives of the Goldin and Shaul families.
The Goldins have has been frustrated by his decision to allow Qatar cash for impoverished family into Gaza, without linking such assistance to the return of their son. They have also argued for the release of two Israeli citizens held hostage in Gaza, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
Hadar’s parents told Gantz: "We want to stress that if we do not see significant action for the return of Hadar, we will change our methods from one of appropriateness, to one in which we act by any means necessary.”
On Wednesday, Gantz met with Shaul’s mother Zahava and other members of the family.
In both meetings, Gantz stressed his obligation to ensure that the remains of both soldiers were returned to Israel.
Separately, Gantz is also set to meet on Monday with visiting US officials to discuss pending Israeli plans to annex portions of the West Bank as early as July 1.
He will speak with special US envoy Avi Berkowitz and Scott Leith, who is a member of the joint Israeli-US mapping committee that is scheduled to set the contours of the annexed areas.
Gantz is reportedly pushing for a limited sovereignty plan that could include just the settlement blocs, such as Gush Etzion, Ma’aleh Adumim and Ariel. Under the terms of the Trump administration’s peace plan, Israel can annex up to 30% of the West Bank, which would include all ofthe settlements.