Ran Gvili Hy’d, Last Hostage in Gaza, Discovered and Returned for Kevurah

In a relieving but somber announcement that marks the conclusion of a painful chapter in Israeli history, the IDF confirmed on Monday that the body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili Hy’d has been located and identified in Gaza.

Gvili, whose body was held in captivity for 843 days, was the final hostage remaining in the Gaza Strip. With his recovery, officials confirmed that for the first time in 12 years, there are zero Israeli hostages held in the enclave.

The recovery operation took place in a Muslim cemetery in Gaza City. According to military details released shortly after the mission, IDF troops examined approximately 250 bodies at the site before successfully locating and identifying Gvili.

Following the identification, an emotional scene unfolded on the ground. Video footage from the site showed dozens of IDF soldiers gathering around the coffin of the fallen officer, singing “Ani Maamin” in a final tribute before his transport back to Israel.

The news triggered a wave of relief and grief across the Israeli political spectrum. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset, where he publicly recited a “Shehechiyanu” to mark the occasion.

“There are no more hostages in Gaza,” Netanyahu declared.

In a symbolic gesture, the Prime Minister removed the yellow hostage pin that has been a fixture on the lapels of Israeli officials since the war began. “We all wore the pin, now that the mission is over it is time to remove it,” Netanyahu stated, citing the pasuk, “v’shavu banim ligvulam (the children have returned to their own borders).”

Netanyahu thanked “President Trump, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.. I thank Am Yisrael for the Tefilos and Chizuk. We completed this mission and so we will complete all the other missions we have set.”

Police Chief Daniel Levy and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir personally contacted Gvili’s parents, Itzik and Talik, to deliver the news.

Gvili, a 24-year-old officer in the Yasam counter-terror unit, was killed on October 7, 2023, while defending Kibbutz Alumim during the initial Hamas assault. Police Chief Levy highlighted the officer’s heroism, noting that Gvili “shielded Israeli civilians with his body, sacrificing his body and soul.”

“We are all deeply moved, embracing you, and thanking all the IDF soldiers who worked on this mission,” Chief of Staff Zamir told the family. “We have completed the mission of returning all the hostages, both the living and the fallen, and upheld the very significant IDF value of leaving no one behind.”

Speaking on Monday regarding the recovery of her son, Talik Gvili expressed the closure the family has sought for over two years. “It is a relief, after these two and a half years, even though we hoped for a different ending,” she said.

A police convoy is scheduled to escort Gvili’s remains to the Abu Kabir forensic institute later Monday.

The return of the final hostage has immediate implications for the ongoing ceasefire arrangements. Hamas terrorist spokesman Hazem Qassem issued a statement claiming the development validates the group’s adherence to the truce, even though the IDF were responsible for the discovery.

“The discovery of the body of the last Israeli captive in Gaza confirms Hamas’s commitment to all the requirements of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, including the prisoner exchange,” Qassem said.

In accordance with established protocols, Israel is expected to hand over bodies of Palestinian terrorists to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While the standard ratio for such exchanges has been 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli hostage returned, sources with knowledge of the details indicated to the Times of Israel that Israel might hand over more than the minimum of 15, given that Gvili was the final slain hostage to be returned.

Below is footage of kaddish being recited for Gvili.

President Donald Trump wrote on X: “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!!!”

Israeli journalist Doron Kadosh reported that Israeli intelligence greatly narrowed the search radius within the Gaza cemetery, from several hundred to a few dozen graves. Over 20 IDF forensic dentists and personnel from the Israel Police Special Operations Command worked jointly for more than 24 hours, examining approximately 250 bodies until Gvili was identified, Kadosh said, adding that the identification process was performed in the field using advanced equipment.