The recovery of the remains of the last Hamas hostage closes the first phase of the US peace plan and clears the way for the reconstruction of Gaza.
The second phase of the ceasefire will focus on “demilitarization, technocratic rule and reconstruction” of the war-torn Strip – but those are hot questions.
Transitioning to a new governance structure and disarming Hamas – which the militant group has previously refused to do without the creation of an independent Palestinian state – will be major hurdles in the coming months.
As Ran Gvili’s body is flown back to Israel, Palestinians hope it could pave the way for a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
This is Gaza’s gateway to the outside world, and the US-backed Palestinian committee of technocrats to run Gaza has confirmed the crossing will be opened this week.
However, a government spokesman did not immediately comment on whether this was the case, and Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that journalists would continue to be barred from the strip.
PEACE PLAN
Trump unveils skyscraper-filled Gaza “master plan” at Board of Peace launch
Responding to the return of Gvili’s body, Donald Trump said on Monday: “He just found the last body of the hostage in GAZA.
“So we got back ALL 20 hostages alive and ALL the dead ones! Awesome job!”
The US president also said “most thought it impossible” and congratulated his “great team of champions”.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the return of the last hostage shows the determination of the Palestinian Islamist movement future peace.
“The discovery of the body of the last Israeli prisoner in Gaza confirms the commitment of Hamas to fulfill all the requirements of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, including the prisoner exchange process and its complete closure, as stipulated in the agreement,” he said in a statement.
The Israeli military has confirmed it has discovered the remains of a slain policeman in a cemetery 843 days after he was first captured.
Brave Ran, a sergeant first class in the Israeli police special forces, was 24 years old when he was first captured by terrorists along with 250 other hostages.
Gvili was taken hostage and later died after heroically defending Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel, despite being off work at the time with a broken shoulder from a motorcycle accident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the discovery in eastern Gaza an “extraordinary achievement for Israel.”
He added: “We promised and I promised to bring everyone back and we brought everyone back.
“Ran is Israel’s hero. First in, last out. He’s back.”
All living and murdered hostages taken in 2023 have now been freed or returned to their loved ones.
Hamas thugs managed to find every slain prisoner except Ran, after claiming to have lost track of where the bodies were due to the rubble in Gaza.
The Israeli military launched its own search mission on Sunday to try to find Ran, while focusing its efforts on the cemetery.
An Israeli military official revealed that there are “several intelligence leads” that show Ran’s body is in the cemetery.
Ran is heartbroken family they have been informed and will soon receive his remains.
Trump vowed earlier this month to do “everything we can” to secure Ran’s release.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan
- 1. Gaza will be a de-radicalized zone free of terrorism
- 2. Gaza will be rebuilt
- 3. The war will end immediately
- 4. Within 72 hours, all hostages will be returned
- 5. Israel to release 250 dangerous prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans detained after October 7
- 6. Hamas members wishing to leave Gaza will be granted safe passage
- 7. Full aid will be sent to the Gaza Strip immediately
- 8. The entry of distribution and aid into the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference
- 9. Gaza will be governed by a temporary transitional administration of the technocratic, apolitical Palestinian Committee
- 10. Trump’s economic development plan to restore and re-energize Gaza will be created
- 11. A special economic zone will be established
- 12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza
- 13. Hamas agrees to play no role in the administration of Gaza
- 14. Regional partners will provide a guarantee that Hamas will honor its commitments
- 15. The US will work to establish an interim International Stabilization Force in Gaza
- 16. Israel does not occupy or annex Gaza
- 17. If Hamas postpones or rejects this proposal, Israel may proceed to invade
- 18. A process of interreligious dialogue will be initiated
- 19. A credible path to Palestinian self-determination and statehood can begin
- 20. The US will open a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians on peaceful and prosperous coexistence
Securing the last hostage is now to help facilitate phase two of his Gaza peace plan.
Gvili’s family urged the Israeli government not to enter this new phase until his remains are found.
The second phase consists of the reconstruction of Gaza and at the same time means the complete demilitarization and disarmament of Hamas.
Netanyahu’s office has already announced that Israel will open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt once the search for Rana ends.
An announcement confirming its reopening is expected soon.
What happened on October 7?
On October 7, 2023, militants from Hamas and other Palestinian nationalist groups launched coordinated armed attacks in the Gaza Strip in southern Israel.
The perpetrators managed to bypass Israeli defenses and paraglide across the border, marking the first invasion of the territory since the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
The horror coincided with the Jewish celebration of Simchat Torah and initiated the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
In the early hours of October 7, some 4,300 rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip before vehicles and motorized paratroopers crossed the border.
Hamas fighters attacked military bases and massacred civilians in 21 communities, including Be’eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, Netiv Haasara and Alumim.
The first civilian attack began at 6:29 a.m. at the site of the Nova music festival in Re’im, just three miles from Gaza.
More than 360 mobs were slaughtered as they desperately tried to escape.
During October 7, an estimated 1,139 people were massacred and another 251 civilians and soldiers were taken hostage in Gaza.
Issues surrounding Hamas are still unresolved as the terror group vows to keep many of its weapons despite being told it must disarm.
US envoy Steve Witkoff warned last week: “The US expects Hamas to fully honor its commitments.
“Failure to do so will have serious consequences.
Last week, US President Donald Trump unveiled a stunning “master plan” for Gaza at a signing ceremony for his new peace council.
His son is inside law Jared Kushner unveiled mock-ups of giant skyscrapers and a map showing the phases of Gaza’s transformation.
Last month, he revealed a plan to rebuild war-torn Gaza, dubbed “Project Sunrise.”
The US wants to make it an international destination with luxury hotels and beach resorts, high-speed rail and an AI-optimized smart grid function.
Leave a Reply