Ran Gvili, Final Hostage Returned From Gaza, Laid to Rest in Emotional Funeral

Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the last hostage to be returned home after 843 days in captivity in Gaza, was laid to rest on Wednesday in Meitar, his hometown in southern Israel, as family members, government officials, security forces, and other mourners gathered to pay their final respects.

At the Shur Camp near Beit Shemesh in central Israel, an honor procession was held as Gvili’s coffin departed the military base. 

The main memorial service later took place in an open field near the Meitar sports complex, drawing more than 2,000 attendees and thousands more who followed the ceremony on outdoor screens, as his family and several Israeli leaders delivered remarks in his memory.

“I want to tell you, Ran, that the hope that you could return to us standing, or even on just one leg, was what gave us the strength to get through this time,” Gvili’s mother, Taliq, said during the ceremony.

“I want to assure you that, because of you, all of Israel has been reminded that, despite our differences, we are one united and strong people. You went out to protect everyone, and all of us are worthy of your sacrifice,” she continued. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spent months conducting Operation “Valiant Heart” to locate Gvili’s remains in Gaza, where his dead body was taken and held hostage by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists during their Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel.

About a month ago, the Shin Bet — Israel’s internal security agency — carried out a special operation in southern Gaza City, detaining a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative whose interrogation confirmed that Gvili was buried in Al-Batsh Cemetery in the Saja’iya neighborhood of northern Gaza.

During Wednesday’s ceremony, Gvili’s father, Itzik, also addressed the crowd in a heartfelt tribute to his son, as Israel marked the end of a years-long hostage crisis that engulfed the nation.

“All of Israel knows your story, and the whole world has heard it. Everyone holds you close in their hearts — you are the son of all,” he said. “I am so proud to be your father. I miss you every single moment, and I love you deeply.”

On the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, Gvili, a 24-year-old officer in the elite Israel Police’s Special Patrol Unit, was at home recovering from a motorcycle accident with a broken shoulder, awaiting surgery.

His father recounted that as soon as his son heard the news, he put on his uniform and said, “My men are fighting — do you think I should stay home?” before leaving his house.

According to eyewitnesses from that morning over two years ago, Gvili assisted the injured in the area, rescuing around 100 people fleeing the nearby Nova Music Festival and killing 14 Hamas terrorists.

His final message was to his friends, in which he told them he had been shot twice in the leg. After that, he vanished without a trace.

Gvili’s sister, Shira, also delivered a heartfelt tribute during the ceremony.

“When my mother came into my room and told me it would likely be a long time before you returned, I never imagined it would be the last 843 days,” she said. 

During the two weeks following Gvili’s disappearance, IDF forces confirmed that he had been abducted and taken to Gaza. By late January 2024, Israeli intelligence had determined that he was killed during the Oct. 7 atrocities and that his body was being held in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended Wednesday’s ceremony, honoring Gvili and recognizing his bravery and sacrifice.

“Ran, Israel’s hero, will be laid to rest in the Tomb of Israel. The closing of the scroll over Gvili’s grave seals the painful reality of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. We bring them all home, alive or dead, from enemy territory,” the Israeli leader said. 

“This is not the end of the story. We also remain committed to our other goals: disarming Hamas, demilitarizing the [Gaza] Strip, and we will achieve them,” he continued, referring to efforts to launch the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also delivered remarks, honoring Gvili’s courage and the resilience of the Israeli people in the face of tragedy.

“The ‘last hostage’ finally rests in the land of his home. The home he loved, the home he fought for alongside his comrades, the home he set out to defend with supreme courage and ferocity on that bitter and hurried day,” he said.

“I, like the thousands gathered here and the tens of thousands across the country, can only regret not having had the privilege of knowing him in life,” Herzog added.