‘First to Go Out, the Last to Return’: Israel Marks Return of Final Hostage Ran Gvili

Jerusalem, 26 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Editors note: This story has been updated to include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee’s exclusive comments.

Political leaders expressed relief after the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the remains of Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage held in Gaza, had been returned to Israel after 843 days.

“After many difficult years, for the first time since 2014, there are no Israeli citizens held hostage in Gaza. An entire nation prayed and waited for this moment,” said President Isaac Herzog.

Referring to the yellow ribbon-shaped pins worn in solidarity, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Knesset lawmakers, “We all wore the pin, and now that the mission is complete, the time has come to remove it. For ‘the sons have returned to their borders and the daughters have returned to their borders,’ referring to a Biblical verse.

Netanyahu added, “We have completed this mission, as I promised, and we shall likewise complete the rest of the goals we have set.”

US Ambassador Mike Huckabee told The Press Service of Israel, “I think everybody is beside themselves with the extraordinary discovery that the last of the hostages has been returned home. And to the family of Ran Gvili, we extend our condolences and our celebration that after 843 very difficult days, he is home with his family.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz called Gvili “a brave fighter who acted out of a deep sense of mission and national responsibility. His heroism on that difficult morning is part of the story of the resilience and determination of the fighters and security forces in the face of the terrorist attack.”

“The return of the late Ran for burial is a painful moment of closing the circle — with the return of the last abductee from the Gaza Strip to the land of Israel. This is a moment that emphasizes the commitment of the State of Israel to its fighters and citizens: to return each and every one of them home — as we promised the families and the public in Israel. This is the mutual guarantee,” he added.

Said Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, “Today, when we learned of the identification and return of Ran, of blessed memory, for burial in Israel, the emotions are mixed and moving. Our hearts are broken over the loss of a Yasam fighter, a hero of Israel who gave his life to save others, and we share in the great sorrow of the dear Gvili family, along with great relief and joy that Ran is no longer in the hands of the enemy — he has returned home and will be buried in Israel.”

In Azerbaijan on a diplomatic trip, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar tweeted of Gvili, “The first to go out, the last to return. We will never forget Ran.”

Opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid congratulated the security forces for bringing home Gvili, “who will finally be laid to rest in a fitting burial in Israel.”

The Tikva Forum, which advocates for the hostages and their families, said, “Rani the hero went out on Simchat Torah for the people of Israel and the State of Israel, and now the people of Israel have brought him home. Along with the great pain, this is an emotional day of closing the circle for Itzik and Talik, and for the entire people of Israel. We would like to express our deep gratitude to the security forces and the government of Israel who brought the late Rani home, thus returning the last captive from the Iron Swords War.”

With the return of Gvili’s body, it was cleared for publication that Israeli actor and singer Idan Amedi, best known internationally for starring in the hit TV show Fauda, had participated in the operation to locate the remains.

Gvili’s remains were found in a cemetery in Gaza City. According to IDF assessments, Palestinian Islamic Jihad likely buried Gvili with other terrorists, not realizing who he was.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, 24, was killed while defending Kibbutz Alumim, and his body was taken to Gaza.

A member of Yasam, an elite police unit, Gvili learned of Hamas’ attack on southern Israel while at the hospital waiting to undergo surgery for a broken shoulder. He rushed to his home in the Negev town of Meitar, put on his uniform, and joined other personnel heading to Alumim.

Gvili is credited with rescuing around 100 people who fled the nearby Nova Music Festival, and with killing 14 Hamas terrorists. The last word heard from Gvili was when he texted a friend saying he had been shot in the leg.

The military declared Gvili dead based on intelligence in January 2024.

Gvili, an avid guitarist, motorcyclist, and amateur carpenter, is survived by his parents, a brother, and a sister.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.