Israel recovers last Gaza hostage’s body, phase two near
On Monday, 26 January 2026, Israeli officials confirmed the remains of Ran “Rani” Gvili, the last Israeli captive in Gaza, have been returned. The military says every hostage taken on 7 October 2023 is now back, living or dead. For families who gathered weekly in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, this is closure; for negotiators, it unlocks the next step of the ceasefire process. (theguardian.com)
Gvili was 24, a police sergeant killed while resisting the 7 October attacks at Kibbutz Alumim, before his body was taken into Gaza. After a focused operation in a northern Gaza cemetery, teams identified his remains and notified his family. Reporting in the Times says exhumations in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood were part of the final search. (washingtonpost.com)
Officials said a weekend push built on earlier intelligence to narrow the search to one site near Gaza City. Hamas, through mediators, said it had provided “all the details” it held about the location, a claim Israel has not publicly verified. (aljazeera.com)
What this means: the ceasefire backed by President Donald Trump required all hostages to be returned in its first phase. With that condition now met, attention shifts to phase two-standing up an international stabilisation force, sequencing an Israeli pullback, and rebuilding basic services and homes inside Gaza. These are the difficult, nuts‑and‑bolts tasks ahead. (washingtonpost.com)
Rafah crossing matters for daily life. Israel has indicated it will reopen Rafah, on the Egypt border, once the recovery was complete-limited to people, with Israel keeping control over who passes. That will not, on its own, restart large‑scale aid flows. (theguardian.com)
The numbers help us map progress. During the truce to date, 20 living hostages and the remains of more than two dozen others were returned; with Gvili’s repatriation, the military says the list is now complete. (thetimes.com)
You will see political reactions too. President Trump celebrated on Truth Social-“Just recovered the last hostage body in Gaza… Amazing job!”-and congratulated his team, underlining how Washington had tied movement on phase two to this recovery. (aa.com.tr)
Hamas’s spokesman Hazem Qassem said the discovery “confirms” the group’s commitment to the agreement and credited information passed to mediators. In parallel, Hamas urged mediators, and especially the US, to ensure Israel follows through on the ceasefire terms. (aljazeera.com)
Context for our readers: the 7 October attacks killed 1,200 in Israel and 251 were abducted; Gaza’s health ministry reports 71,000+ dead, a UN‑cited estimate that Israel disputes. These figures help you understand why each step is scrutinised so closely. (cbsnews.com)
What to watch next: when Rafah actually opens to travellers; who signs up to the proposed stabilisation force; how disarmament and vetting are verified; and when troops pull back. For students and teachers tracking this story, keep notes on dates, stated goals, and who is responsible for each promise-then check what happens in practice. (pbs.org)