“The body of Ran Gvili has been found, and with this, a central mission has come to an end.”
By The IDF Club
Dramatic news spread across Israel on Monday afternoon after the IDF announced that the body of the final hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, z”l, had been identified and returned to Israel for burial, bringing the hostage recovery effort to its conclusion.
In an official statement, the IDF said the identification process was completed by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in cooperation with Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate. IDF representatives then informed the Gvili family that their loved one had been identified and brought back to Israeli territory.
According to Israeli intelligence and operational assessments, Gvili, a 24-year-old Yamam fighter, was killed in combat on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to the Gaza Strip. The military expressed condolences to the family and said it would continue accompanying bereaved families and returnees while working to safeguard Israel’s security.
With Gvili’s return, the IDF said all hostages, both living and fallen, have now been brought back from Gaza to Israel. The announcement came after 843 days of fighting across multiple fronts.
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and divisional commanders saluted Gvili during his final journey from Gaza.
Zamir later arrived at the area where the body was located as part of Operation “Brave Heart,” where he met with reserve soldiers and medical teams who took part in the mission. He praised their dedication and professionalism, describing the operation as the fulfillment of the IDF’s moral commitment to bring home all of its sons and daughters.
“More than two years we have waited for this moment, the return of the final hostage,” Zamir said. He recited a blessing of thanksgiving and added: “The body of Ran Gvili has been found, and with this, a central mission has come to an end, bringing back all the hostages, the living and the fallen, to their home, their country, and their families.”
Zamir said that when he last met with Gvili’s family, he promised the IDF would do everything possible to bring him home.
“Today, thanks to your efforts, the determination of Southern Command, the Alexandroni Brigade, the reserve soldiers of Battalion 75, the doctors, logistics personnel, and the Military Rabbinate, this mission has been completed,” he said. “We have achieved a war objective. The campaign continues, and we will pursue our enemies wherever they are.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the development as a historic moment, telling reporters: “This is an extraordinary achievement for the State of Israel. We promised, and I promised, to bring everyone back. We brought them all back, down to the very last captive.”
Netanyahu added, “It is a tremendous achievement for the Israel Defense Forces, for the State of Israel, and for the citizens of Israel.”
The return of Gvili closes one of the most painful chapters of the war, marking the completion of Israel’s effort to recover all those taken hostage during the October 7 attack.
