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The Israeli military announced on January 26, 2026, that it had successfully recovered the remains of Master Sgt. Ran Gviliidentified as the last hostage whose body was held in Gaza. This recovery marks the completion of efforts to return all individuals taken during the October 7, 2023, attacks, clearing the path for the next phase of a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement.

Who Was Ran Gvili?

Ran Gvili (also referred to in some reports as Rani Gvili or Staff Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili) was a 24-year-old Israeli police officer serving in a special forces unit. He was killed on October 7, 2023while defending kibbbutz alumim in southern Israel during the Hamas-led terrorist attack that killed over 1,200 people and led to the abduction of around 251 individuals into Gaza.

Gvili fell in combat against militants but was taken hostage—his body forcibly removed to Gaza—where it remained for more than two years (843 days, according to some accounts). As a dedicated law enforcement officer and member of Israel’s security forces, he represented the front-line responders who bravely confronted the invasion that day.

His family, including his mother, had repeatedly expressed trust in Israel’s commitment to bring him home, urging the government not to proceed with certain ceasefire stages until his remains were recovered. The Hostages and Families Forum captured the sentiment with the statement: “Ran Gvili, the last hostage in Gaza, has been brought home. First to enter. Last to return.”

The Recovery of Ran Gvili’s Remains

Israel’s military (IDF) announced that a large-scale operation successfully located and recovered Gvili’s remains in northern Gaza, with identification confirmed through forensic processes. Reports indicate the body was retrieved from a cemetery in Gaza City. The operation was described as emotional for soldiers involved, with some accounts noting IDF personnel singing together in the aftermath.