Israel says the body of the final Israeli hostage in Gaza has been identified and returned to Israel.
The military said in a statement that Ran Gvili, 24, a special forces policeman, was killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and his body was taken to Gaza.
The military said it launched a “large-scale operation” for his body over the weekend in a cemetery in northern Gaza, on the Israeli-occupied side of Gaza, acting based on intelligence.
Hamas-led fighters captured 251 hostages in Israel on Oct 7, 2023, according to Israeli authorities.
“We have brought back Rani Gvili, of blessed memory, a hero of Israel. There are no more hostages in Gaza,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country’s parliament Monday.
He added, “We have completed this mission, as I promised — and so we will complete the rest of the missions we have set.”
The return of Gvili’s remains is expected to mark the end of the first phase of the U.S.-backed ceasefire in the war in Gaza. It could also pave the way for another big step: Israel says it will allow Gaza’s border crossing with Egypt to reopen again for Palestinians to enter and exit.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
