The IDF located the remains of Private Arthur Gessner, who fell in battle during military operations in the Lachish region in April 1949, the military confirmed.
Gessner's body was originally believed to have been lost in a mass grave after he fell in combat as part of Israel's War of Independence. However, an investigation revealed that he had been buried in Rehovot in 1949, along with other soldiers who died at the same time.
IDF Manpower Directorate chief Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa stated: "After 76 years and at the end of a thorough and professional investigation, we have the right to determine that Arthur Gessner, the last missing person from the operation in Beit Guvrin in 1949, is buried in the military cemetery in Rehovot along with his comrades-in-arms."
The nascent IDF's 8th Battalion, under which Gessner served, intercepted a group of infiltrators, but the encounter developed into a prolonged and stubborn battle.
In total, 12 IDF soldiers were killed, three of whom were declared missing, including Gessner.
It was discovered that their bodies were taken to a cave near Idna, west of Hebron, then under Jordanian control.
On May 6, 1949, the IDF conducted an operation to collect the bodies, finding two, but were unable to locate Gessner's remains, declaring him a fallen soldier whose burial place is unknown. His two compatriots were officially buried in Rehovot in May 1949.
In 2020, an investigation into Gessner's disappearance was renewed, including conducting document analysis, witness interrogation, soil analysis, and archaeological surveys, after which the investigation team was able to conclude that Gessner's remains were included in the May 1949 burial.
IDF representatives visit family of located soldier
The IDF's Chief Human Resources Officer and Head of the Casualty Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Edya Ilya met Gessner's living relatives regarding the conclusion of the investigation.
A ceremony will be held in Rehovot, at which Gessner's name will be added to the headstone of the collective burial site containing all three bodies, the IDF confirmed.