Israel has successfully retrieved the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, marking a significant step in the initial phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy to conclude the ongoing conflict in Palestinian territories, the military announced on Monday.

The remains of Ran Gvili, a police officer detained in Gaza for over 840 days, have been officially identified and are set to be returned for burial, as confirmed by military reports.

This development could potentially lead to a partial reopening of the Rafah Crossing, the main passage between Gaza and Egypt, aligning with Israel’s commitments. This crossing serves as the primary link for the beleaguered enclave to the outside world.

The U.S.-endorsed Palestinian technocratic committee overseeing Gaza’s administration has indicated plans to open the border crossing this week. However, a government spokesperson did not provide an immediate response regarding the exact timing of the reopening.

Gvili’s remains have been in Gaza since his death during an assault by Hamas on October 7, 2023. This attack by the Palestinian militant group on southern Israeli regions sparked an Israeli military campaign that has lasted two years.

Footage aired on Israeli news channels showed dozens of soldiers arm in arm, purportedly at the site in Gaza where the body was discovered, singing a Hebrew song expressing Jewish hope and faith.

Another image from Gaza showed what appeared to be a casket draped in the Israeli flag, surrounded by soldiers. In social media posts on Monday, Gvili’s mother Talik called her son a hero.

Gvili was off duty on October 7, recovering from an injury, when he was killed fighting the Gaza militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to reporters at the Knesset, described the discovery of Gvili’s remains as an “unbelievable achievement for the State of Israel”.

Next phase of the deal

Gvili was one of the 251 hostages seized and taken to Gaza by militants during the October 7, 2023 attack. At the time of a ceasefire deal that Israel and Hamas agreed in October, 48 hostages remained in Gaza, 28 of them believed dead, including Gvili.

Handing over all the remaining living and dead hostages was a core commitment of the first phase of the deal, though other parts have not been fulfilled and there are huge splits over what comes next.

Before Gvili’s body had been found, the Trump administration announced that the US-led plan to end the war would move on to its next phase, which is meant to include reconstruction of Gaza and demilitarization of the territory.

In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the discovery of Gvili’s remains confirms Hamas’ commitment to the plan.

“We will continue to uphold all aspects of the agreement, including facilitating the work of the national Gaza administration and ensuring its success,” Qassem said.

The Hamas-led attack in October 2023 killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s assault has since killed at least 71,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s health authorities say.

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