Last week, Israel sent a delegation to Cairo to press for Gvili to be repatriated. The delegation, led by hostage envoy Gal Hirsch, included representatives of the IDF, Shin Bet and Mossad.
Gvili, a 24-year-old Israel Police Special Patrol Unit volunteer from Meitar, rushed to help on October 7 2023, despite having broken his shoulder about 10 days previously.
He is credited with rescuing some 100 people who fled the fled the Nova music festival and is believed to have killed Hamas terrorists before he was abducted into Gaza.
A panel of experts ruled in January 2024 that Gvili was no longer alive.
At a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “determined to return Ran for burial in Israel and will spare no effort to do so.”
He said he and his wife were in continuous contact with Gvili’s family and added: “We will bring him back just as we brought back 254 hostages.”
