Who Was Ran Gvili? The Last Known October 7 Hostage, Whose Body Was Recovered From Gaza Months Later

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have recovered the remains of Staff‑Sergeant‑Major Ran Gvili, the last known hostage from the October 7, 2023 attack, the army announced on Monday. His body was found in Gaza and will soon be returned to Israel, giving some closure to his grieving family.

Ran Gvili was killed on the first day of Israel’s war with Hamas. He fought bravely against terrorists who had attacked the Nova music festival in Re’im and nearby communities. He helped save people fleeing the chaos and stood his ground defending the Kibbutz Alumim. Despite being wounded, he continued to fight until he was overwhelmed and killed.

Ran Gvili Fought to Save Lives Despite Wounds

According to The Jerusalem Post, that morning, even though Ran Gvili was still healing from a broken shoulder he had suffered in a motorcycle accident, he didn’t hesitate to put on his uniform and head toward danger. He and other soldiers first fought at Kibbutz Alumim and then went to Sa’ad Junction, where they helped evacuate survivors of the Nova massacre to safety. After they brought people to safety, Ran and his comrades returned to Alumim to keep fighting. He was surrounded and, despite fighting hard, he was killed and taken by the terrorists.

For many months after the October 7 attacks, Ran’s family held out hope that he was still alive. They started a campaign called “Bring Ran Home” and worked tirelessly to secure his return. As per reports, on January 31, 2024, authorities finally confirmed that Ran Gvili had been killed on the first day of the war and that his body had been taken into Gaza. Since then, his family has been pushing to recover his remains so he could receive a proper burial in Israel.

Sister Says, “Protecting Me Was Your Life’s Mission”

Ran Gvili was born in Meitar, a small town in southern Israel. His parents are Talik and Itzik Gvili, and he had two siblings, Omri and Shira.

He joined the Golani Brigade at 18 and later served in Israel’s Police Special Patrol Unit, rising to the rank of Staff‑Sergeant‑Major. At his memorial service, his sister Shira spoke with deep emotion, saying, “Protecting me was your life’s mission and you succeeded.” She promised to live joyfully and fulfill the dreams he had for himself and their family, and asked him to “take care of us all from above.”

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