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Israel has returned the remains of the last hostage from Gaza, the military said on Monday, fulfilling a key condition for the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza.
The remains of policeman Ran Gvili have been identified and will be returned for burial, the military said in a statement.
Earlier, Israel said it would reopen Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the enclave’s main gateway to the world, once Gvili’s remains are returned or the search for his body is over.
The announcement that Gvili’s remains had been found and identified came a day after the Israeli government said the military was conducting a “major operation” in a cemetery in northern Gaza to find them. Hospital officials said a Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the area where he was undergoing surgery.
Gvili has been held in Gaza since he was killed in Kibbutz Alumim during a Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli statistics.
Hamas and Israel agreed to a cease-fire in October under pressure from regional governments and Trump, who called the deal the first step toward “firm, lasting and permanent peace.”
When the agreement was made, 48 hostages remained in Gaza, 28 of whom are believed to have died, including Gvili. Gvili, 24, a policeman known as “Rani,” was killed while fighting with Hamas.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said in a social media post on Wednesday that the ceasefire agreement is entering a phase focused on destroying Gaza, establishing a technical government and reconstruction. However, Witkoff did not provide details about the new Palestinian interim administration that will govern Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have been under pressure from cease-fire negotiators, including Washington, to enter into the second phase of the US-brokered deal, which went into effect on Oct. 10, 2025.
Even before Gvili’s body was found, the Trump administration announced that the deal would move on to its next phase, which is intended to include the reconstruction of Gaza and the demilitarization of the area.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it an “amazing success” for Israel and its soldiers, telling Israeli media, “I promised that we will bring everyone home, and we will bring everyone home.” He said Gvili, who was killed during the Hamas-led offensive that sparked the war, was one of the first to be brought into Gaza.
The return of all remaining hostages, alive or dead, was an important part of the first phase of ending the fighting in Gaza, and Gvili’s family had urged the Israeli government not to enter the second phase until his remains were found and returned.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its feet in returning the last hostage. Hamas said it has provided all the information it has about Gvili’s bodies, and accuses Israel of interfering with efforts to search for them in Gaza areas under the control of the Israeli army.
The Israeli army said the main operation to find Gvili’s remains is “in the area of the Yellow Line” that divides the area.
In a statement, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the discovery of Gvili’s remains confirms Hamas’ commitment to the US plan to end the war.
“We will continue to comply with all aspects of the agreement, including promoting the operation of Gaza’s national administration and ensuring that it is successful,” said Qassem, referring to the technical committee.
Israel’s announcement came as Al-Shifa Hospital officials said Israeli forces shot and killed a man in Gaza City’s Tuffah area. The hospital that received the body said that the man was near the place where the soldiers started the search for Gvili.
Another man was killed east of Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which received his body. The circumstances of his death were not yet clear.
Israeli attacks have killed more than 71,400 Palestinians since 2023, and more than 480 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since October 10, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
