Israel Confirms No Hostages Remain in Gaza; Last Body Returned

Ran Gvili, a slain Israeli police officer's mortal remains have been identified and will be returned for burial, the IDF announced.

In a post on X, the IDF said, "There are officially no more hostages in captivity in Gaza."

"The deceased hostage SFC Ran Gvili has been identified and will be returned for burial. According to the information and intelligence available to us, SFC Ran Gvili, 24, who served in the Israeli Police Special Forces, fell in combat on the morning of Oct 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to Gaza. The IDF expresses deep condolences to family. The IDF will continue to support the families and the returnees, and to act to strengthen the security of the citizens of Israel," the IDF stated.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he fulfilled his promise of having no hostages in Gaza.

"There are no more hostages in Gaza. I promised you, citizens of Israel - we will bring them all back home," he said in a post on X.

It marked the first time since 2014 that there were no Israeli hostages in the enclave, CNN reported.

Israel had put a condition that the full opening of the Rafah crossing and advancement to the second phase of the Gaza peace plan would be done only post retrieval and return of all of the living and deceased hostages, as per CNN.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera quoted Hamas as saying that in return for providing all necessary information to mediators and to Israel for the successful return of all the captives held in Gaza, Israel must keep up its end of the bargain, "especially the opening of the Rafah crossing in both directions without restrictions, the entry of the Gaza Strip's needs in the required quantities, the lifting of the ban on any of them, the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and facilitating the work of the National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip."

- ANI