Ran Gvili: last hostage body returns home to Israel

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Tuesday that the remains of Ran Gvili, abducted during the October 7, 2023 attacks, have been identified and returned to Israel for burial, closing the final unresolved case from that day.

The identification process was carried out by the National Center for Forensic Medicine in coordination with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, and IDF representatives notified Gvili’s family once the process was complete.

The military said Gvili, 24, a combat soldier, was killed in combat on the morning of October 7 and subsequently abducted into Gaza. 

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum described him as “the last hostage,” noting that he rushed into battle despite recovering from a serious injury and fought at the entrance to Kibbutz Alumim until his ammunition ran out. 

“First to enter. Last to return,” the forum said, honoring his courage and extending condolences to his parents, siblings, and extended family.

The IDF said the operation, named “Courageous Heart,” was conducted based on intelligence that Gvili’s remains were located in a cemetery in the Shuja’iyya–Daraj Tuffah area near the Yellow Line. 

Specialized units, including search teams, dental experts, and rabbinical officials, assisted in identifying the body. The military credited the success to persistent intelligence work, decisive operations against Hamas, and an unwavering commitment to bring all hostages home.

With Gvili’s return, the IDF confirmed that all abductees taken to Gaza during the October 7 attacks have now been brought back to Israel. The military said it will continue to accompany bereaved families while working to strengthen the security of Israeli citizens.

New details released by the Shin Bet revealed that the recovery of Gvili’s remains was the result of months of intelligence work. About a month ago, during an operation in southern Gaza City, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operative was captured and interrogated. The operative, who had been involved in military activity against Israeli forces, disclosed his role in moving Gvili’s body between several locations and identified others who knew its whereabouts.

This information helped narrow down the burial site to the Albatash cemetery in northern Gaza, where a large-scale operation was subsequently launched. According to the Shin Bet, the intelligence gathered during the interrogation was crucial in enabling the IDF to locate and identify Gvili’s remains.

Since the outbreak of the war, the Shin Bet and other Israeli security agencies have made sustained efforts to recover all abductees, both living and deceased. The return of Ran Gvili, the final abductee, represents a significant milestone and a symbolic closing of a painful chapter for Israel.