Israel claims body of final captive recovered from Gaza

The Israeli military announced that the remains of the last captive, Ran Gvili, have been recovered from the Gaza Strip and transferred to the occupied territories.

“Following the completion of the identification process by the National Centre of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, [military] representatives informed the family of the late Ran Gvili that his body has been returned for burial,” the regime's army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Monday.

Gvili, an Israeli policeman, is believed to have been killed during the October 7, 2023 al-Aqsa Storm Operation deep inside the Israeli-occupied territories.

His return to Israel marks the conclusion of Hamas’s obligations to return all 251 captives, dead or alive, under the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Central Gaza’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that nine Palestinian detainees released by Israel arrived alive.

“Nine Palestinian detainees from Gaza arrived at the hospital a short while ago via Red Cross teams, after the occupation released them,” the hospital said in a statement.

Israel had previously stated it would only open the Rafah crossing to Egypt after the last captive was found.

In recent months, the regime has backtracked and insisted that the crossing operates on a “limited basis for the passage of people only,” leaving Gaza residents dependent on the blockade for basic necessities.

Hamas stressed that it has fulfilled its obligations under the ceasefire agreement.

The resistance movement said in a statement that this “stresses” the group’s commitment to the first stage of the ceasefire agreement and stated it has “fulfilled all its obligations in a clear and responsible manner”.

Hamas called on Israel to comply fully with all aspects of the agreement, including the unrestricted opening of the Rafah crossing, the delivery of essential goods, the lifting of bans, the complete withdrawal from Gaza, and the facilitation of the National Committee tasked with managing the territory.

Since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect on October 10, Israeli forces have continued to violate its terms with impunity.

At least 481 Palestinians have been killed, and another 1,313 wounded in Israeli attacks carried out after the agreement was supposed to halt all hostilities.

Israel has also maintained crippling restrictions on the entry of food, shelter materials, and medical supplies into the enclave, affecting 2.4 million Palestinians who are enduring severe hardships.

The genocidal war that began in October 2023 and continued for nearly two years concluded with a ceasefire, resulting in the deaths of at least 71,654 Palestinians and injuries to an additional 171,391.

The scale of destruction is staggering: approximately 90 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been damaged or obliterated under Israeli bombardment. The United Nations estimates that the cost of reconstruction is approximately $70 billion.

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