The Last Hostage Retrieved

Yesterday, Israel announced what many people have prayed for - the return of the last hostage’s body from the Gaza Strip.

Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old Israeli Police volunteer, died in the fighting on the morning of 7th October 2023, and his body was abducted by terrorists. His body was found yesterday during an extensive search of a cemetery in the north of the Strip.

With Ran’s return, there are no longer any Israeli hostages in Gaza. This is the first time that can be said since 2014, when Hamas seized the remains of two IDF soldiers killed during the Gaza war that year.

Israelis view Ran as a true hero. Upon his return to Israel, referring to his bravery in the fighting on that awful day, his mother said:

"Our pride is much, much stronger than our pain."

Israel’s Prime Minister said:

"I promised you citizens of Israel, we would bring everyone home.
We all wore the yellow pin for the hostages.
And now that the mission is complete,
it’s time to remove them because the sons have returned to their borders
and the daughters too have returned to their borders."

It seems that the way is now open to move to stage two of Donald Trump’s peace plan, although Hamas has not been disarmed and is still effectively in control of a large part of the Strip.