JERUSALEM, Jan 26 (GeokHub) — Israel has recovered the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, fulfilling a key condition of the initial phase of a U.S.-backed plan aimed at ending the Gaza war, the Israeli military said on Monday.
The military confirmed that the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili had been identified and would be returned to his family for burial. Gvili had been held in Gaza since he was killed during Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which sparked a prolonged Israeli military campaign in the enclave.
Israeli authorities said the completion of the recovery operation clears the way for the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the territory’s primary gateway to the outside world. A government spokesperson declined to say when the crossing would reopen, though a U.S.-backed Palestinian committee of technocrats tasked with administering Gaza said it expects the crossing to open later this week.
Ceasefire Framework Advances
The recovery comes under a ceasefire agreement reached in October between Israel and Hamas, designed to halt hostilities and secure the return of all living and deceased hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli detention.
Gvili was among 251 people abducted during the October 7 attack. At the time the ceasefire deal was reached, 48 hostages remained in Gaza, with Israeli authorities believing 28 were dead, including Gvili.
Even before the remains were recovered, the Trump administration announced the agreement would advance to its next phase, which is expected to focus on Gaza’s reconstruction and the demilitarization of the territory.
Hamas Response
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the recovery confirmed the group’s commitment to the U.S.-brokered plan to end the conflict.
“We will continue to uphold all aspects of the agreement, including facilitating the work of the national Gaza administration and ensuring its success,” Qassem said, referring to the committee of technocrats overseeing Gaza’s post-war governance.
