 "Israeli policemen salute as vehicles carrying bodies of four deceased hostages, who had been held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, arrive at forensic institute after being released amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Reuters")
Israel has recovered the remains of the final hostage held in Gaza, the military confirmed on Monday, fulfilling a key requirement of US President Donald Trump’s initial plan to end the Gaza conflict and paving the way for the next phase of the ceasefire.
Identification of Ran Gvili
The Israel Defense Forces said the remains of police officer Ran Gvili had been identified and that his family had been informed he would be returned to Israel for burial. “With this, all hostages from the Gaza Strip have been returned,” the military said in a statement.
For months, Gvili — a 24-year-old police officer — was the only hostage whose body remained unaccounted for in Gaza. He was killed during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, before his remains were taken into the enclave.
Confirmation from Hamas
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem separately confirmed that the final hostage remains had been located, saying the move demonstrated the group’s commitment to the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Search operation and families’ response
Israeli officials said a “large-scale operation” was launched on Sunday to recover Gvili’s body amid mounting pressure to advance to the second phase of the truce. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said on Monday that “Ran Gvili, the last hostage in Gaza, has been brought home.”
“First to enter. Last to return,” the group said, adding that Israeli authorities believe Gvili was killed in combat during the October 7 attack.
Ceasefire milestone under Trump’s plan
The recovery marks the completion of a central condition of the ceasefire brokered under pressure from regional powers and US President Donald Trump, following months of delays and mutual accusations of violations.
Rafah border reopening pending
Israel has said the development will be followed by the partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt — Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world — once the handover process is completed.
Focus shifts to phase two
Attention is now expected to turn to the second phase of the ceasefire, which envisages the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the establishment of a transitional administration to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction. The next stage is also expected to address Hamas’ disarmament — a major sticking point — and the composition of an international force proposed by Trump to oversee security in Gaza.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10, Hamas agreed to release all living and dead hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The process was delayed as Hamas said it struggled to locate remains buried under rubble from Israeli military operations.
Of the 251 hostages taken during the October 7 attack, many were released under earlier ceasefire deals, while several were rescued in Israeli military operations. Others were killed during the fighting, including three Israeli hostages mistakenly shot by Israeli soldiers in December 2023.
Fragile ceasefire in place
The truce has remained fragile, with Israel accusing Hamas of violations and carrying out strikes, while Hamas has denied the allegations and accused Israel of killing Palestinians in Gaza since the ceasefire began.
With the first phase now complete, diplomatic focus is expected to shift to whether the ceasefire can be sustained and expanded into a permanent end to the conflict.