Israeli soldier laid to rest 43 years after disappearance
Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman, who went missing during the First Lebanon War in 1982, was laid to rest Monday at Israel's Holon Military Cemetery, bringing closure to a decades-long national and personal tragedy.
Feldman vanished during the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, a fierce tank engagement between Israeli and Syrian forces in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley.
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He was one of three Israeli soldiers reported missing after the battle. The remains of one, Sgt. First Class Zachary Baumel, were returned in 2019. The third soldier, Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, is still unaccounted for.
The recovery of Feldman's body was made possible through a covert operation carried out by the Mossad and the Israel Defense Forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally notified the Feldman family of the discovery.
4 Feldman was killed in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub in June 1982 during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Courtesy Feldman Family
4 Relatives and friends mourn during a funeral of Israeli soldier Zvi Feldman in Holon military cemetery near Tel Aviv on May 12, 2025.
AFP via Getty Images
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At the funeral, Feldman's sister, Anat, spoke emotionally about her brother's dedication to Israel. She described his return as a moment of deep pride and sorrow, calling him 'a warrior who died defending our people.'
Feldman's brother, Itzik, also spoke at the funeral, delivering a eulogy that moved many across the nation. 'His words expressed deep pain—but also hope and faith,' Netanyahu said in a post to his X account, where he shared a video clip of Itzik's remarks.
4 Mossad Director David Barnea greets relatives of Israeli soldier Zvi Feldman during his funeral in Holon military cemetery near Tel Aviv on May 12, 2025.
AFP via Getty Images
4 Feldman's body was recovered through a joint covert operation.
Courtesy Feldman Family
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'I was deeply moved to hear the words of Itzik Feldman at the funeral of his brother, Staff Sgt. Zvi Feldman, of blessed memory, who fell in Lebanon,' Netanyahu wrote. 'We are not stopping for a moment. We are working day and night to bring back all our sons and daughters—all of our hostages.'
The repatriation highlights Israel's longstanding commitment to bringing home all missing soldiers.
Netanyahu emphasized this during his remarks, stating that the government had pledged to return Feldman and fulfilled that promise.
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