Remains of Ran Gvili, Last Hostage in Gaza, Returned to Israel

Latest Developments

No Hostages in Gaza: The remains of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the final hostage held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, were returned to Israel on January 26, marking the first time since 2014 that no hostages — living or deceased — are being held in Hamas captivity. Gvili, a police officer, was killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, atrocities while defending Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel. His body, held for 843 days, was discovered in a Palestinian cemetery in eastern Gaza City during a large-scale recovery operation in which Israeli forces examined some 250 corpses.
‘Painful Moment of Closure’: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the “extraordinary achievement” of recovering Hamas’s last hostage. News of the discovery of Gvili’s remains was relayed in a phone call to his family by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the recovery was a “painful moment of closure.”
Trump Administration Officials Meet With Netanyahu: U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Netanyahu on January 24 to discuss phase two of the U.S.-brokered 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza. Witkoff described the talks as “constructive and positive.” With the return of Gvili’s remains, Israel also agreed to reopen the Rafah Border Crossing with Egypt in southern Gaza, which has been under Israeli military control since May 2024.

FDD Expert Response

“The release of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili closes a painful chapter for Israel and marks a strategic milestone: for the first time in over a decade, Hamas holds no Israeli captives. Israel has upheld its covenant to bring every hostage home, but at a devastating cost in fallen soldiers. As phase two of President Trump’s Gaza framework approaches, the central lesson is clear: Hamas cannot be contained, deterred, or managed — it must be dismantled. Any agreement that leaves Hamas armed, organized, and in control merely postpones the next massacre. Permanent disarmament is not a negotiating position; it is a security imperative.” — Mark Dubowitz, CEO

“This is a major achievement for Israel and the Witkoff negotiating team. Deft diplomacy notwithstanding, this achievement would not have been reached were it not for the Israeli strike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders on September 9 last year. It was then, and only then, that the Qatari regime understood that it would be drawn into the war as the eighth front if it did not push Hamas to end the hostage crisis.” — Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director

“This is a moment to celebrate wholeheartedly because — for the first time in more than a decade — there are no Israeli or Jewish hostages held in Gaza. It’s also important to note that Israel has much greater operational freedom of action in Gaza when it doesn’t have to worry about the plight of the hostages. The United States should now pile the pressure on Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey to fulfill their promise and their obligation to force Hamas into compliance with phase two of the Gaza peace plan. If this does not happen, the United States should give Israel the political freedom of action to complete the elimination of Hamas in Gaza.” — Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Fellow