The remains of the last hostage in Gaza have been found, the Israeli military said on Monday, clearing the way for efforts to rebuild Gaza and disarm Hamas in the next phase of a ceasefire that halts the war with Hamas.
The Israeli government announced the discovery and identification of the remains of police officer Ran Gweli, a day after announcing that the military was conducting a “large-scale operation” to search for the remains of police officer Ran Gweli at a cemetery in northern Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “an incredible achievement” for Israel and its soldiers, telling Israeli media, “I promised we would bring everyone home, and we have brought everyone home.” He said Gweli was one of the first people to be brought into Gaza and was killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war.
The repatriation of all remaining hostages, living or dead, is a key part of the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. Gweli’s family has urged the Israeli government not to move into phase two until his remains are found and returned.
Hamas said it was now committed to complying with all terms of the first phase of the ceasefire.
The second phase of the ceasefire will face tougher issues, including the transition to a new governance structure in Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas, which has ruled the territory for nearly two decades.
Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday that once the search for Gweli was completed, Israel would open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which Palestinians see as a lifeline to the world. The center has been largely closed since May 2024, except for a brief period in early 2025.
Palestinians react to recovery of remains of last hostage
Palestinians in Gaza said on Monday they hoped the recovery of the remains would lead to the opening of the Rafah crossing and allow movement in and out of Gaza as well as the evacuation of people in need of medical care.
“We hope this will stop Israel’s excuses and open the crossings,” said Gaza City resident Abdel-Rahman Radwan, whose mother is a cancer patient who needs treatment outside Gaza.
Ahmed Ruqab is a father who lives with his family of six in a tent in the Nuserat refugee camp. He called on mediators and the United States to pressure Israel to allow more aid and caravans into Gaza.
“We need to turn the page and start over,” he said by phone.
Israel and Hamas have been under pressure from ceasefire mediators, including Washington, to enter the second phase of the US-brokered truce, which came into effect on October 10.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of delaying the release of the last hostage. Hamas said it had provided all information about Gweli’s remains and accused Israel of hindering efforts to search for them in Gaza, which is under Israeli military control.
The Israeli military said the large-scale operation to find Gweli’s body was carried out in the “yellow line area” that divides the territory.
An attack on Israel in October 2023 sparked a war that left some 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage. Gweli, a 24-year-old police officer affectionately known as “Rani,” was killed fighting Hamas militants.
Prior to the recovery of Gweli’s body, 20 living hostages and the remains of 27 others had been returned to Israel since the ceasefire, most recently in early December. In exchange, Israel has handed over the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians to Gaza.
