Zehava Shaul, 71, has died after a recent serious illness. She will be buried in Poria Illit beside her husband Herzl and their son, Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul. Oron was killed in July 2014 when his armoured vehicle was struck in the Shejaiya neighborhood; his remains were recovered from Gaza in January 2025 following a covert IDF and Shin Bet operation. Israeli leaders praised Zehava's decade-long campaign to repatriate her son and honored the security forces involved.
Zehava Shaul, Mother Of Fallen Sgt. Oron Shaul, Dies At 71 After Decade-Long Fight To Bring Him Home
Zehava Shaul, mother of Oron Shaul, with supporters and family members of missing Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin hold a protest outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on August 9, 2019. (photo credit: HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90)
Zehava Shaul, the mother of Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul — whose remains were held by Hamas for more than a decade — has died at age 71 after several months of serious illness, her family announced on Friday.
She will be laid to rest in Poria Illit, near the Kinneret in northern Israel, beside her husband, Herzl, and her son, Oron.
In a family statement the Shauls described Zehava as "a woman of faith, determination, and love for humanity." The statement said that for more than ten years she shouldered the painful task of seeking the return of her son’s remains, and that her dedication and love became a symbol of perseverance and hope to many.
"Zehava's figure will be etched in the heart of the nation as a mother who never for a moment gave up on her son," President Isaac Herzog wrote on X after Oron's burial, adding: "May her memory be a blessing."
The Jordan Valley Regional Council also paid tribute, calling Zehava "a dear and noble woman" who fought for over a decade to secure her son's burial in Israel. "The council embraces the family at this time and bows its head in her memory," the council said.
The funeral of late Israeli soldier Oron Shaul at the cemetery in Poria Illit on January 20, 2025. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)
Oron, 20 at the time, was killed on July 20, 2014, when the armoured personnel carrier he and six other soldiers were travelling in entered the Shejaiya neighborhood near Gaza City and was struck by a Kornet anti-tank missile fired by Hamas, killing everyone inside.
According to Israeli authorities, the IDF and the Shin Bet recovered Oron's remains from the Gaza Strip in January 2025 following a covert overnight operation involving Shayetet 13 and other special forces. The mission was announced just before an Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect.
Oron was laid to rest on January 20, 2025. After the return of his remains, Zehava told reporters, "I've been waiting for Oron for 10 and a half years. And believe me, I didn't believe I would see this moment." She described the moment as both shocking and deeply moving.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after the operation was cleared for publication, praised the Shin Bet and the IDF: "In a special operation conducted by the Shin Bet and the IDF just before the ceasefire took effect, we successfully brought back to Israel the body of Golani Brigade soldier Oron Shaul, of blessed memory. I extend my heartfelt embrace to the Shaul family and express my deepest gratitude to the Shin Bet and IDF forces for their unwavering courage and determination."
Zehava's long campaign to bring her son home drew national attention and sympathy, and her death closes a painful chapter for the family and for many who followed their efforts. Funeral arrangements will proceed in Poria Illit, where she will be buried beside her husband and son.
Reporting contributions: Yonah Jeremy Bob.
Help us improve.
