Remains of last Israeli hostage found in Gaza, paving way for next phase of ceasefire

The remains of the last hostage held in Gaza have been identified, the Israeli military said Monday, ending a more than two-year saga for captives’ families in Israel — and paving the way for the second phase of the ceasefire in the war-torn enclave.

For months, only one hostage body remained in Gaza, that of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer killed during the Hamas-led attack Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement Monday that Gvili’s family had been informed “that their loved one has been identified and will be returned for burial.”

“With this, all hostages from the Gaza Strip have been returned,” it said.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem separately confirmed the last of the hostage remains had been found, saying the development confirmed its commitment to the requirements of the ceasefire deal.

On Sunday, Israeli officials said they had launched a “large-scale operation” to locate Gvili’s body amid growing pressure to move into the second phase of its ceasefire deal with Hamas.

“Ran Gvili, the last hostage in Gaza, has been brought home,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of Israeli hostages, said in a statement Monday.

“First to enter. Last to return,” it said, noting that Israeli authorities have concluded that Gvili was killed in battle during the Oct. 7 attack before his remains were taken into Gaza.

The development marks the completion of a key pillar of the truce brokered in part by President Donald Trump, after months of mounting tension over delays and alleged violations.

It will be followed by the partial reopening of Gaza’s key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, Israel has said.

Israel and Hamas have faced pressure to move on to phase two of the truce, which is planned to include the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the establishment of a transitional government to oversee reconstruction of the enclave.

The truce’s second stage, which Trump said earlier this month was getting underway, would also require the disarmament of Hamas, a key sticking point in negotiations, and the makeup of Trump’s international force to oversee security in Gaza.

Under phase one of the truce, which came into effect Oct. 10, Hamas agreed to release all living and dead hostages in Gaza. In exchange, Israel released scores of Palestinian prisoners and detainees back to Gaza, including remains.

The completion of the first phase was delayed, however, as Hamas said it had struggled to locate all the remains under the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israel’s military assault on the Palestinian enclave.

Many of the 251 total hostages held in Gaza had been released under previous ceasefire deals throughout the conflict, while several, including Noa Argamani, were rescued in operations carried out by Israeli forces.

Hostages have also been killed under Israel’s military operations in Gaza, with soldiers accidentally shooting and killing three Israeli hostages in an incident in December 2023.

The fragile truce has been strained throughout, with Israeli forces launching deadly strikes after accusing Hamas of attacking Israeli forces and violating the ceasefire.

The militant group has denied those accusations and alleged that Israel has itself violated the truce by killing Palestinians in Gaza, with more than 480 people killed in the enclave since the ceasefire began, according to Gaza health officials.

Focus will now shift to the next phases of the plan, which is ultimately expected to bring an end to the conflict in the enclave.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner recently revealed plans for a “New Gaza” marked by towering high-rises and beaches filled with tourists — a far cry from the current reality of a territory reduced to rubble by the U.S. ally’s more than two-year offensive.

Trump has pushed forward with his plan for a “Board of Peace,” which he first pitched as a body to oversee peace efforts in the Gaza Strip before broadening its remit. Key U.S. allies have opted out amid concerns over its charter, which makes no mention of Gaza and is viewed by some as undermining the United Nations.