KFAR SABA, Israel (AP) — Tens of thousands of people gathered in central Israel on Tuesday for the funeral of an Israeli soldier whose body had been held hostage in Gaza for 11 years, overflowing from the cemetery and blocking surrounding streets as crowds stood somberly with Israeli flags.

The burial of Lt. Hadar Goldin was a moment of closure for his family, who have waged a very public campaign to bring his remains home.

Hamas returned his remains on Sunday. The bodies of four hostages taken in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which sparked the current war, are still in Gaza.

The 23-year-old Goldin was killed two hours after a ceasefire took effect in the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas. For years before the Oct. 7 attack, posters with the faces of Goldin and another soldier w

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