Israel Recovers Remains Of Final Gaza Hostage, Closing A Painful Chapter

The Israeli military announced on Monday that it has recovered the remains of the last deceased Israeli hostage held in Gaza, marking the first time since 2014 that no Israeli hostages remain in the enclave.

The remains belong to Ran Gvili, an Israeli police officer who was killed on October 7, 2023, and whose body was taken to Gaza. He was the final hostage from that day whose remains had not yet been returned and has since been posthumously promoted to the rank of first sergeant.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the moment as deeply emotional, saying an “entire people prayed and waited for this moment and now the circle is closed.” The Israel Defense Forces said Gvili’s identity was confirmed following a forensic process involving multiple national agencies, after which his family was informed that he would be laid to rest in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recovery an “outstanding accomplishment by the state of Israel,” adding, “We promised to bring everyone home, and we returned them all, until the last of them.”

US President Donald Trump also welcomed the development, praising his administration’s role in the recovery. “Just recovered the last Hostage body in GAZA. Thus, got back ALL 20 of the living Hostages, and ALL of the Dead! AMAZING JOB! Most thought of it as an impossible thing to do. Congratulations to my great team of Champions!!!” he wrote on Truth Social.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the sentiment, saying, “Incredible news. President Trump made this possible.” US officials said Egypt, Qatar and Turkey played key roles in facilitating cooperation, with one noting that Hamas was “very cooperative” in fulfilling its obligations under the ceasefire agreement.

The return of Gvili’s remains fulfills a key condition Israel set for advancing the Gaza ceasefire and moving toward its next phase. Hamas said the handover demonstrated its “complete commitment” to the agreement and called on Israel to fully implement all remaining terms. Netanyahu, however, stressed that Israel is “now at the threshold of the next stage,” which he said would focus on dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and demilitarizing Gaza, warning that this would be achieved “the easy way or the hard way.”