Israel’s military announced on Monday that it has successfully recovered the remains of the final hostage held in Gaza, meeting a crucial requirement of the initial phase of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the conflict in the Palestinian region. The body of police officer Ran Gvili, who had been held in Gaza for over 840 days, has been positively identified and will be returned for burial, as confirmed by the military.
The retrieval of Gvili’s remains is expected to facilitate a potential reopening of the Rafah Crossing connecting Gaza to Egypt, serving as the primary gateway for the enclave to the outside world, in alignment with Israel’s commitments. The Palestinian technocrats’ committee, supported by the U.S. to oversee Gaza, has indicated that the border crossing is set to resume operations this week, although an official reopening date is yet to be announced.
Gvili had been held captive in Gaza since his tragic death during the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, targeting southern Israeli communities and triggering a two-year long Israeli offensive. Israeli news broadcasts featured footage of soldiers gathered at the purported discovery site in Gaza, singing a Hebrew song symbolizing Jewish hope and faith.
Images from Gaza depicted what seemed to be a coffin draped in the Israeli flag, surrounded by military personnel. Gvili’s mother, Talik, hailed her son as a hero in social media posts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the recovery of Gvili’s remains as a significant accomplishment for Israel, emphasizing Gvili’s bravery and sacrifice for the nation.
During the 2023 attack, Gvili was one of 251 hostages abducted and taken to Gaza by militants, resulting in the loss of 1,200 lives according to Israeli records. Subsequently, Israel’s military actions have led to the deaths of over 71,400 Palestinians, with more than 480 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since October 10, 2025, as per Palestinian reports.
As part of the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, there were 48 hostages still in Gaza, 28 of whom were presumed deceased, including Gvili. The handover of all remaining hostages, alive or deceased, was a primary commitment of the initial phase of the agreement, yet several aspects of the deal remain unfulfilled, sparking disagreements on the subsequent steps.
The return of Gvili’s body has been anticipated in Israel as a moment of national reconciliation following the traumatic events of the Hamas attack, considered the deadliest incident for Jews since the Holocaust. Even before the recovery of Gvili’s remains, the U.S.-led plan to resolve the conflict announced its progression to the next phase, focusing on the reconstruction of Gaza and its demilitarization.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem affirmed the group’s dedication to the plan, emphasizing their commitment to supporting the national administration in Gaza led by the committee of technocrats. Hamas acknowledged that the information they provided had assisted in locating Gvili’s body.
Gaza’s border with Egypt was slated to reopen in the initial phase of Trump’s peace plan, but Israeli authorities had raised objections, insisting that Hamas must first return the body of the final hostage before the border could be operational. Israeli officials have proposed measures to restrict the number of Palestinians entering Gaza through the crossing and to subject all individuals to thorough screening at an adjacent Israeli military checkpoint.