Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

In Cairo talks, Israel presses to recover last hostage’s body from Gaza

Israel’s hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch met senior Egyptian officials and mediators Wednesday to discuss recovering the remains of Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili.

Relatives, friends and supporters of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, whose body is held by Hamas, attend a Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony and the lighting of Hanukkah candles at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, calling for the return of his body from Hamas captivity, on Dec. 19, 2025. Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90.
Relatives, friends and supporters of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, whose body is held by Hamas, attend a Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony and the lighting of Hanukkah candles at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, calling for the return of his body from Hamas captivity, on Dec. 19, 2025. Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90.

An Israeli delegation led by Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch met with senior Egyptian officials and international mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss efforts to recover the body of Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the mission, which included representatives from the Israeli military, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Mossad intelligence agency.

The talks focused on operational details for recovering Gvili’s remains.

According to Israeli authorities, Gvili, 24, died of wounds suffered battling terrorists at the entrance to Kibbutz Alumim during the Hamas-led terrorist attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The 20 remaining living hostages were freed on Oct. 13, and the bodies of deceased hostages have been returned sporadically since that date. Gvili has yet to come home.

Phase one of President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan called for the return of all remaining hostages, living and dead, on Oct. 13.

The United States is “shutting down the financial infrastructure that allows the regime to continue its threats to U.S. national security and global shipping,” the U.S. treasury secretary said.
“The American people are crying out for an end to U.S. tax dollars subsidizing Israel’s military,” Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told colleagues.
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesman told JNS that the administration “acted well within its statutory and constitutional authority” in Khalil’s case, “as it does with any alien who advocates for violence, glorifies and supports terrorists, harasses Jews and damages property.”
“The Strait of Hormuz is open to all ship traffic except for Iran,” the U.S. president wrote.
The amendment “would restrict our country’s ability to confront Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region who are sworn enemies of both the United States and Israel,” the House minority leader said.
“We are prepared for any scenario,” the prime minister assured.