The stays of the final hostage held in Gaza have been recognized, the Israeli army mentioned Monday, ending a greater than two-year saga for captives’ households in Israel — and paving the way in which for the second part of the ceasefire within the war-torn enclave.
For months, just one hostage physique remained in Gaza, that of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer killed throughout the Hamas-led assault Oct. 7, 2023.
The Israel Protection Forces mentioned in an announcement Monday that Gvili’s household had been knowledgeable “that their beloved one has been recognized and shall be returned for burial.”
“With this, all hostages from the Gaza Strip have been returned,” it mentioned.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem individually confirmed the final of the hostage stays had been discovered, saying the event confirmed its dedication to the necessities of the ceasefire deal.
On Sunday, Israeli officers mentioned that they had launched a “large-scale operation” to find Gvili’s physique amid rising stress to maneuver into the second part of its ceasefire take care of Hamas.
“Ran Gvili, the final hostage in Gaza, has been introduced residence,” the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board, which represents the households of Israeli hostages, mentioned in an announcement Monday.
“First to enter. Final to return,” it mentioned, noting that Israeli authorities have concluded that Gvili was killed in battle throughout the Oct. 7 assault earlier than his stays have been taken into Gaza.
The event marks the completion of a key pillar of the truce brokered partly by President Donald Trump, after months of mounting stress over delays and alleged violations.
Will probably be adopted by the partial reopening of Gaza’s key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, Israel has mentioned.
Israel and Hamas have confronted stress to maneuver on to part two of the truce, which is deliberate to incorporate the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the institution of a transitional authorities to supervise reconstruction of the enclave.
The truce’s second stage, which Trump mentioned earlier this month was getting underway, would additionally require the disarmament of Hamas, a key sticking level in negotiations, and the make-up of Trump’s worldwide pressure to supervise safety in Gaza.
Underneath part one of many truce, which got here into impact Oct. 10, Hamas agreed to launch all dwelling and useless hostages in Gaza. In alternate, Israel launched scores of Palestinian prisoners and detainees again to Gaza, together with stays.
The completion of the primary part was delayed, nevertheless, as Hamas mentioned it had struggled to find all of the stays underneath the rubble of buildings destroyed throughout Israel’s army assault on the Palestinian enclave.
Most of the 251 whole hostages held in Gaza had been launched underneath earlier ceasefire offers all through the battle, whereas a number of, together with Noa Argamani, have been rescued in operations carried out by Israeli forces.
Hostages have additionally been killed underneath Israel’s army operations in Gaza, with troopers by accident taking pictures and killing three Israeli hostages in an incident in December 2023.
The delicate truce has been strained all through, with Israeli forces launching lethal strikes after accusing Hamas of attacking Israeli forces and violating the ceasefire.
The militant group has denied these accusations and alleged that Israel has itself violated the truce by killing Palestinians in Gaza, with greater than 480 individuals killed within the enclave for the reason that ceasefire started, in response to Gaza well being officers.
Focus will now shift to the subsequent phases of the plan, which is finally anticipated to convey an finish to the battle within the enclave.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner just lately revealed plans for a “New Gaza” marked by towering high-rises and seashores crammed with vacationers — a far cry from the present actuality of a territory lowered to rubble by the U.S. ally’s greater than two-year offensive.
Trump has pushed ahead together with his plan for a “Board of Peace,” which he first pitched as a physique to supervise peace efforts within the Gaza Strip earlier than broadening its remit. Key U.S. allies have opted out amid considerations over its constitution, which makes no point out of Gaza and is considered by some as undermining the United Nations.
