In the coastal town of Nahariya, Israel announced on Sunday a significant military operation aimed at locating the last remaining hostage in Gaza. This intensive search comes as international mediators, including the United States, urge Israel and Hamas to transition into the next stage of their ceasefire agreement.

As Israel’s Cabinet convened to deliberate on the potential opening of Gaza’s crucial Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the efforts to find the hostage took on new urgency. The decision on the border crossing follows discussions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top U.S. envoys, who visited to address the forthcoming steps in the ceasefire process.

Ran Gvili, the last hostage still unaccounted for, is seen as the key to advancing to the next phase of the ceasefire. His return is critical for easing the tensions and moving forward with the opening of the Rafah crossing, an essential component of the agreement.

The initial phase of the ceasefire, which began on October 10, emphasized the release and recovery of all hostages, whether alive or deceased. Prior to Sunday’s developments, the most recent recovery of a hostage took place in early December.

Although Israel has previously conducted searches for Gvili, the military disclosed more specifics about the current operation. They are concentrating their efforts in a cemetery located in northern Gaza, close to the Yellow Line, which demarcates the Israeli-controlled area of the region.

Separately, an Israeli military official said Gvili may have been buried in the Shujaiyya–Daraj Tuffah area, and that rabbis and dental experts were on the ground with specialized search teams. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing an operation still under way.

Gvili’s family has urged Netanyahu’s government not to enter the ceasefire’s second phase until his remains are returned.

But pressure has been building, and the Trump administration has already declared in recent days that the second phase is under way.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its feet in the recovery of the final hostage. Hamas in a statement Sunday said it had provided all the information it had about Gvili’s remains, and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to search for them in areas of Gaza under Israeli military control.

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