The remains of last hostage held in Gaza have been identified, the Israeli military said Monday, ending a more than two-year saga for the families of captives in Israel – and paving the way for the second phase ceasefire in this war-torn enclave.
For months, only one hostage body remained in Gaza, that of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer killed during the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The Israeli military said in a statement Monday that Gvili’s family had been informed “that their relative had been identified and would be sent back for burial.”
“Thanks to this, all the hostages from the Gaza Strip were repatriated,” the statement said.
Israel said on Sunday that it had launched a “large-scale operation” to locate Gvili’s body amid growing pressure to move to the second phase of its ceasefire deal with Hamas.
This development marks the completion of a key pillar of the truce negotiated in part by the president Donald Trump, after months of growing tensions over delays and alleged violations.
It will be followed by the part reopening of key Rafah border crossing in Gaza with Egypt, Israel said.
This comes as Israel and Hamas have faced pressure to move to phase two of the truce, which would result in the reopening of the Rafah terminalas well as the continued withdrawal of Israeli forces and the establishment of a transitional government to oversee the reconstruction of the enclave.
Phase two, which Trump announced would begin this month, would also require the disarmament of Hamasa key sticking point in the negotiations.
Below first phase of the truce, which came into force on October 10 Hamas agreed to release all living and dead hostages in Gaza. In exchange, Israel released dozens of Palestinian prisoners and detainees return to Gaza, including leftovers.
The completion of the first phase was delayed, however, as Hamas said it had I had a hard time locating all the remains. of captives who died under the rubble of buildings destroyed during the Israeli military assault against the Palestinian enclave.
Many of the 251 total hostages detained in Gaza had been released under previous ceasefire agreements throughout the conflict, while several, including Noa Argamniwere rescued during operations carried out by Israeli forces.
Hostages have also been killed during Israeli military operations in Gaza, with soldiers accidentally shooting and killing three Israeli hostages in an incident in December 2023.
The fragile truce has been severely tested, Israeli forces launch deadly strikes in Gaza repeatedly after accusing Hamas of violating the terms of the ceasefire by attacking Israeli forces.
The militant group denied the accusations and claimed that Israel had violated the truce by killing Palestinians in Gaza, leaving more than 480 dead. in the enclave since the start of the ceasefire, according to local health authorities.
Attention will now turn to the next phases of the plan, which should ultimately end the conflict in the enclave.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner recently revealed plans for a “New Gaza” marked by towering skyscrapers and tourist-filled beaches – a far cry from the current reality of a territory reduced to ruins by the US ally’s offensive for more than two years.
Trump advanced his plan to a “Peace Council” which he first presented as an organization responsible for overseeing peace efforts in the Gaza Strip before broadening its remit. Key U.S. allies withdrew over concerns over the charter, which makes no mention of Gaza and is seen by some as an attack on the United Nations.
As the second phase of the ceasefire advances, key aspects still remain up in the air, including whether Hamas will disarm and what form Trump’s international force will take to oversee security in Gaza.
Chantal Da Silva reports global news for NBC News Digital and is based in London.