Israel’s military announced on Monday that the remains of the final hostage held in Gaza have been recovered, meeting a crucial requirement of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to resolve the conflict in the Palestinian region. The recovered remains of police officer Ran Gvili, who had been held in Gaza for over 840 days, have been identified and will be repatriated for burial, as per the military’s statement.
This development may lead to a partial reopening of the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the primary access point for the enclave to the external world, in accordance with Israeli commitments. The Palestinian technocrats’ committee, supported by the U.S. for managing Gaza, has indicated that the border crossing will reopen this week, although no specific timeline has been provided by the government spokesperson.
Gvili’s remains had been detained in Gaza since his death during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, which instigated a two-year Israeli offensive. Visuals broadcasted on Israeli news networks exhibited numerous soldiers standing in unity at the location in Gaza where the body was discovered, singing a Hebrew hymn symbolizing Jewish optimism and faith.
Another scene from Gaza displayed what seemed to be a casket covered with the Israeli flag, encircled by soldiers. In social media posts, Gvili’s mother, Talik, hailed her son as a hero. Gvili, who was off-duty due to an injury on the day of the assault, lost his life while combating the militants.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the recovery of Gvili’s remains as a remarkable accomplishment for the nation, describing Gvili as an Israeli hero who led from the front.
Gvili was one of the 251 hostages taken to Gaza by militants during the 2023 attack, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals, according to Israeli records. Israel’s offensive has since claimed the lives of over 71,400 Palestinians, with more than 480 Palestinians killed by Israeli actions since October 10, 2025, according to Palestinian data.
Upon the ceasefire agreement reached by Israel and Hamas in October 2025, 48 hostages remained in Gaza, with 28 of them presumed deceased, including Gvili. The handover of all remaining hostages, alive or deceased, was a primary commitment of the initial phase of the agreement, although other aspects remain unfulfilled, leading to disagreements on the subsequent steps.
In Israel, the return of Gvili’s body is anticipated to mark a moment of national reconciliation. The Hamas attack, considered the bloodiest incident for Jews since the Holocaust, was widely regarded as the most traumatic event in the country’s history.
Even before the recovery of Gvili’s remains, the Trump administration had announced the transition to the next phase of its plan, focusing on the reconstruction of Gaza and the demilitarization of the territory.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem acknowledged the discovery of Gvili’s remains as a testament to Hamas’s commitment to the plan, affirming support for the national Gaza administration.
Hamas claimed that the information it provided aided in locating Gvili’s body. The opening of Gaza’s border with Egypt was part of Trump’s plan’s initial phase to end the conflict. However, Israeli authorities had previously objected, insisting that Hamas return the body of the last remaining hostage first.
According to a Reuters report, Israel aimed to restrict the number of Palestinians entering Gaza through the border crossing to be fewer than those departing and to subject all Palestinians using the crossing to screening at a nearby Israeli military checkpoint.
