Cleared for publication: The mission to arrest a terrorist who knew Hadar’s whereabouts

In a special operation conducted by IDF forces from the Southern Command, Shin Bet, and IDF Intelligence, Marwan al-Hams, a doctor and Hamas terrorist, was arrested in Rafah.

Al-Hams was involved in determining the death of Lt. Hadar Goldin and was suspected of knowing the location of his burial in the “White-Crowned” tunnel in Rafah.

The arrest took place in July 2025 during a covert operation conducted after prolonged intelligence activity.

According to a joint IDF and Shin Bet statement, the apprehension operation was part of dozens of confidential operations conducted in the past six months and was a part of a broad effort by the IDF and ISA to retrieve Lieutenant Hadar Goldin and return him for burial in Israel.

According to the statement, al-Hams was directly involved in the decisions that were made on the battlefield where Goldin was abducted, and was considered one of the key figures in the events that transpired in the tunnel during the battle.