Israel announced on Monday that it has recovered the remains of the last remaining hostage held in Gaza, police officer Ran Gvili, fulfilling a crucial condition of the initial phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict.
The Israeli military confirmed that Gvili’s remains have been identified and will be returned for burial. His retrieval also allows Israel to move forward with reopening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world, once the handover is complete or the search operation concludes.
Gvili was killed during a Hamas attack on southern Israel at Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023, and had been held in Gaza since then. The ceasefire agreed between Hamas and Israel in October, facilitated by regional powers and Trump, aimed to halt hostilities and serve as a foundation for what Trump called a “strong, durable and everlasting peace.”
The recovery of Gvili’s remains represents both a humanitarian milestone and a significant step toward resuming normal border operations, offering relief to residents of Gaza who rely on the Rafah crossing for essential travel and supplies.
