Israel Demands Return of Last Hostage Remains as PIJ Claims 'File Closed' on Gaza Captives

JERUSALEM — Israeli officials delivered a stark ultimatum to mediators on Wednesday: The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) knows the exact whereabouts of Staff Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili's remains and must hand them over immediately—or face stalled progress in the hostage deal.

The 24-year-old police officer, hailed as a hero for slaying 14 Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023, massacre before his abduction, remains the sole unreturned hostage body in Gaza, according to Israeli intelligence. Gvili's family, enduring 790 days of anguish, has pleaded publicly for his return, with his sister Shira Gvili declaring at a Tel Aviv rally last week, "This is the first Shabbat that Rani has remained alone there. Compel Hamas to return Rani to the country he loved so much."

Israeli POW and Missing Persons Coordinator Gal Hirsch conveyed the message during high-stakes talks in Cairo, backed by a delegation including IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad representatives. "There are people within Islamic Jihad who know where Ran is. We will not rest until he is brought back for burial in Israel," a senior Israeli source told Ynet, emphasizing that fresh intelligence points directly to PIJ operatives holding the key to recovery. Hirsch reportedly warned mediators that advancing to the ceasefire's second phase—requiring Hamas to relinquish power in Gaza—hinges on Gvili's repatriation.The ultimatum comes just days after a partial breakthrough soured into frustration. On December 3, Hamas and PIJ transferred remains via the Red Cross, initially hoped to include Gvili's alongside those of Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43. Forensic tests dashed those hopes, confirming the bodies were unrelated to the two final captives.

PIJ's Al-Quds Brigades quickly followed with a defiant statement on Tuesday, claiming it had "closed the issue" of Israeli hostages after Rinthalak's handover in northern Gaza's Beit Lahiya area.

"The file on Gaza hostages is shut," the group asserted, prompting Israeli accusations of deception.U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee injected cautious optimism into the standoff, telling attendees at a Jerusalem book launch on Tuesday, "I hope the last fallen hostage will be returned to Israel within the next 24 to 48 hours. I believe we will see results very soon."

American pressure on mediators has intensified, with Washington urging Hamas and PIJ to resume searches in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, where Red Cross teams and militants scoured rubble earlier this week.

Gvili's story embodies the raw heroism and heartbreak of October 7. A Yasam special police unit volunteer from the southern town of Meitar, he donned his uniform upon hearing of the Hamas-led rampage that claimed 1,200 lives and saw 251 people—including festivalgoers from the nearby Nova site—taken captive. Racing to Kibbutz Alumim, Gvili evacuated around 100 fleeing civilians and fought ferociously until overwhelmed, sustaining gunshot wounds to his hand and leg before being dragged into Gaza.

Israeli experts ruled him deceased in January, but his body—initially held by PIJ—has eluded handover despite multiple reported excavations in central and northern Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office reiterated Israel's unyielding stance: "The efforts to bring them home will not stop until the mission is complete—returning them for a proper burial in their country."

 As families gather for weekly vigils at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square—now facing potential dismantling after nearly two years of protests—the clock ticks toward potential breakthroughs or breakdowns in the Cairo negotiations.With U.S. backing and mounting global scrutiny, the fate of Ran Gvili's remains could tip the scales of the broader ceasefire accord. For now, Israeli officials vow no concessions, echoing a national resolve forged in the fires of October 7: No one left behind.