He continued, "I saw inside a large yellow garbage can full of bodies. Women, adults, small children, all covered in blood, and they were murdered only because they are Jews and Israelis. During my time in captivity, they tortured me every day and left me with physical and mental scars everywhere. This captivity is not suitable for animals, certainly not for humans. Therefore, I ask you, dear people, to continue the good work for the sake of justice and peace. The October 7 massacre was without a justified reason, and was an inhuman massacre."

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Gvili, a 24-year-old Yasam volunteer from Meitar, fought with extraordinary courage on October 7. When the massacre began, he left the house, put on his uniform and headed out to fight. During the battle near Alumim he rescued about 100 people who had fled the Nova music festival and killed 14 members of the Hamas terrorist organization before he was abducted.

Went of the shelter, and fought 

A panel of experts ruled on January 30 that Gvili was no longer alive. About ten days before the October 7 massacre he had broken his shoulder and was waiting for surgery, yet he still chose to join the battle. On the morning of the attack, as his family entered the shelter, he walked out and returned moments later dressed in uniform.

His father, Itzik, said: "Rani told us he would not let his friends fight alone, and that even with the fracture he could still hold a handgun. I will never forget the look in his eyes. It was as if he was saying, 'This is what I have waited for my entire life.'" Gvili went to the Beersheba police station, joined the forces headed toward Alumim and was shot in the arm and leg during the fighting.

"First to go out, last to return," his mother, Talik Gvili, wrote Thursday on her Facebook page. A few weeks earlier, in an interview with Israel Hayom, his sister Shira described the anguish, uncertainty and determination driving the family. "Each day that passes and Rani does not come back makes us panic more. If he still has not returned, then where is he? Who knows what is happening to him?"

Security officials have told the family that "everything possible is being done to search for him, locate him and not leave him behind," but the family fears the chances are extremely slim. "With all the destruction left there, how can anything be found? It is like a needle in a haystack."

The Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate in the Prime Minister's Office said: "We pray for the swift return home of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage still held by Hamas."

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After the identification process was completed overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, IDF representatives together with the Foreign Ministry informed Rinthalak's family that he had been brought back for burial.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that "alongside the profound sadness, the return of Sutthisak brings a measure of solace to his family, which has lived with agonizing uncertainty and doubt for more than two years."

According to the IDF, "based on the information and intelligence in our possession, Sutthisak Rinthalak, a Thai national, was murdered on October 7, 2023, and he was taken into the Gaza Strip, and held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. Rintalak, 42 at the time of his death, worked in agriculture and was abducted from the orchards of Kibbutz Be'eri. His death was formally declared on May 16, 2024. He is survived by his parents and a brother."

The Prime Minister's Office added: "The coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, informed Rinthalak's family that arrangements for returning his remains for burial in his home country will be coordinated with the Thai Embassy in Israel. The Rinthalak family and Thailand's ambassador to Israel, Panyarak Poolthup, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the State of Israel for its efforts to retrieve Sutthisak and for the continuous support extended to the family since the outbreak of the war."

The Thai agricultural worker abducted from the fields

Rinthalak, 43, had worked in Israeli agriculture since 2017. He is survived by his parents and a brother. On the morning of the October 7 massacre, he was working in fields near Kibbutz Be'eri.

Seven months later, on May 16, his parents were notified that he had been murdered and that his body was being held in Gaza. He was one of eight Thai citizens abducted to the Strip. About two weeks after the massacre, his aunt spoke to Thai media, saying he regularly sent money to support his parents. On the day of the attack, the family received a video filmed by the terrorists showing her nephew being taken hostage.

The final deceased hostage still held in Gaza is Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, 24.

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A joint statement from the IDF Spokesperson and Shin Bet Spokesperson said, "According to information provided by the Red Cross, the coffin of a deceased hostage has been handed over to them and they are making their way towards IDF forces in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is required to abide by the agreement and make all necessary efforts to return the slain hostages."

This development followed an announcement by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group that its operatives had recovered the deceased hostage during searches in the area. Israel is preparing to receive the casket of the deceased from the Red Cross in the coming hours, after which it will be transferred for forensic examination at the National Center of Forensic Medicine.

Video: Hamas recovering what could be a deceased hostage on Dec. 3, 2025 / Credit: Arab media

The terrorist organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced Wednesday that it has located a deceased hostage during searches in the northern Gaza Strip. The organization's "military wing," the Al-Quds Brigades, stated that work has been ongoing to complete the procedures for the transfer of deceased hostage under the Gaza ceasefire agreement, in accordance with the relevant protocols. Earlier, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists had conducted searches in the Beit Lahiya area.

The terrorist organization Hamas announced that it would deliver the remains of a deceased hostage located in the northern Strip, together with Palestinian Islamic Jihad, at 5:00 p.m.. Israel has prepared to receive and examine the remains at the National Center of Forensic Medicine.

Currently, the bodies of two deceased hostages remain in Gaza: Staff Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili (age 24) and Sudthisak Rinthalak (age 43). Gvili, a special police unit (Yasam) officer, killed 14 terrorists before being abducted. Rinthalak, a Thai worker, was abducted while working in the orchards.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that Israel had received forensic findings from the Gaza Strip, which were transferred to The IDF and The Shin Bet forces inside the Strip via the Red Cross.

A message was delivered Wednesday stating, "After completing the identification process at the National Center of Forensic Medicine, it was determined that the findings brought for examination from the Gaza Strip yesterday are not linked to any of the deceased hostages." The statement added, "An update was delivered to the families of the two deceased hostages. The effort to repatriate them will not cease until the mission is complete – to bring them to a proper burial in their homeland."

The officer who fought with a broken shoulder

On the morning of October 7, after his family descended to their shelter, Gvili left and returned dressed in uniform.

His father, Itzik Gvili, recalled, "Rani said he would not let his friends fight alone, and that despite the broken shoulder, he could hold a pistol. I will never forget his look – it was as if he was saying, 'I've been waiting for this my whole life.'" Gvili reached the Beersheba police station, deployed to the battle in Alumim, and was shot in his hand and leg.

His mother, Talik Gvili, explained, "Rani took cover near a eucalyptus tree and applied a tourniquet to himself. He updated his friends on the direction the terrorists were approaching from. Meanwhile, dozens of Hamas operatives arrived and surrounded him." While facing them alone, he successfully eliminated 14 of the terrorists just moments before he was kidnapped.

Despite the declaration that he was deceased, his parents expressed doubts about his death. "There are quite a few question marks arising from the details conveyed to us," Talik Gvili stated. "There are contradictions between the findings that were presented to us."

The Thai worker kidnapped from the orchards

Rinthalak (43) was a Thai national who had been employed in agriculture in Israel since 2017. He is survived by his parents and a brother. On the morning of the massacre, he was working in the orchards near Kibbutz Beeri.

On May 16, seven months after the massacre, his parents received the terrible news that their son had been murdered and his body was being held in Gaza. He was one of eight Thai citizens kidnapped to the Strip. Approximately two weeks after the massacre, his aunt was interviewed in Thailand and recounted that Rinthalak habitually sent money to his parents. On the day of the massacre, a video was shared from the terrorist attack in which she witnessed her nephew being kidnapped.

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The Prime Minister's Office said: "Israel is preparing to receive from the Red Cross findings transferred out of the Gaza Strip. The findings will be examined at the National Center of Forensic Medicine. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum staff is in continuous contact with the families of the two deceased hostages."

Palestinian media outlets reported that a team from the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations has renewed the search for a deceased hostage. According to those reports, this round of searches is taking place in the Beit Lahia project in northern Gaza. Yesterday, reports from Gaza described similar searches underway near the Jabaliya camp.

Footage from Gaza shows Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists carrying out the search. According to the reports, it is the team responsible for locating the deceased hostage in the northern part of the strip. In recent days, there have been reports of searches conducted in the Zeitoun area and near the Jabaliya camp.

Meanwhile, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said today that mediation efforts are continuing and that any violation of the ceasefire in Gaza "is cause for concern."

"Qatar is working with its partners to turn the hudna in Gaza into an opportunity to move forward to the second phase of the agreement. Any violation of the hudna in the Gaza Strip constitutes a threat to it, and yet the hudna still stands," he said.

Al-Ansari added: "There is nothing new regarding the start of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement." He said Qatar "trusts US President Donald Trump's plan and the American support for the hudna and the mediation efforts. We hope there will be a shift to discussions about the second phase of the Gaza plan very soon."

At the same time, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that the situation in the West Bank is "no less severe" than in the Gaza Strip in light of what he described as "intimidation campaigns carried out by settlers." He added that Cairo "hopes additional aid will enter the Gaza Strip and that the ceasefire will be strengthened."

The senior Egyptian official also expressed hope that the second phase of "the Trump plan" for Gaza's rehabilitation would begin, including the establishment of a peace council and an international stabilization force. "The only guarantee for stability in the region is resolving the Palestinian issue and establishing a state," Abdelatty said.

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The city mayor shared about Yosef, "How much insight, wisdom, and pure modesty you have, Yosef-Haim." At the ceremony, they planted an etrog tree after his father shared about the miracle of the Four Species (Arba'at HaMinim – lulav, etrog, hadass, and aravah) that allegedly brought his son home. "A few days before October 7, you blessed over the Four Species, and I told you that blessing would keep you alive. I didn't know about the festival and what would happen a few days later."

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Al-Ansari stressed that efforts in Gaza are underway to recover the two remaining deceased hostages who are still being held, although he noted this is a "significant challenge". He said Israel must not be allowed to use the delay as a pretext to undermine the framework.

According to al-Ansari, "Qatari efforts carried out within the framework of US President Donald Trump's plan have focused on three goals: ending the war and the bloodshed, ensuring humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip, and preventing any annexation of Palestinian land."

The spokesperson said the main challenge now is transitioning from the first stage of the deal to the second, which he believes could pave the way for a long-term arrangement and a complete end to the state of war in Gaza. Still, he acknowledged there is no clear answer as to whether the process will stall if the two deceased hostages are not returned. "Two deceased hostages remain, which is an achievement, although he said major obstacles remain." He said Qatar does not believe Israel should be permitted to interfere with the deal's implementation.

Addressing developments in Judea and Samaria, al-Ansari said a de facto annexation is taking place on the ground, even if Israel has not declared it officially. He said Israeli operations in refugee camps in the West Bank and the separation of its northern and southern areas reflect an annexation process in all but name.

Al-Ansari also referred to US pressure on regional states to join the Abraham Accords. He reiterated Qatar's position that any normalization with Israel is possible only within the framework of resolving the Palestinian issue. He said the absence of a peace process for the Palestinians means there will be no stability in the region.

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The two deceased hostages who currently remain in Gaza are Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, 24 and Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43. Gvili, a Yasam officer in the Israel Police special patrol unit, killed 14 terrorists before he was abducted. Rinthalak, a Thai agricultural worker, was kidnapped while working in the orchards.

The officer who fought with a broken shoulder

Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili (24), an Israel Police Special Patrol Unit (riot police) officer from Meitar, acted with great bravery and self-sacrifice during the battle in Alumim on October 7. An expert committee officially determined on January 30 that Gvili was no longer alive. Gvili had suffered a broken shoulder approximately ten days before the massacre and was awaiting surgery.

On the morning of October 7, after his family descended to their shelter, Gvili left and returned dressed in uniform.

His father, Itzik Gvili, recalled, "Rani said he would not let his friends fight alone, and that despite the broken shoulder, he could hold a pistol. I will never forget his look – it was as if he was saying, 'I've been waiting for this my whole life.'" Gvili reached the Beersheba police station, deployed to the battle in Alumim, and was shot in his hand and leg.

His mother, Talik Gvili, explained, "Rani took cover near a eucalyptus tree and applied a tourniquet to himself. He updated his friends on the direction the terrorists were approaching from. Meanwhile, dozens of Hamas operatives arrived and surrounded him." While facing them alone, he successfully eliminated 14 of the terrorists just moments before he was kidnapped.

Despite the declaration that he was deceased, his parents expressed doubts about his death. "There are quite a few question marks arising from the details conveyed to us," Talik Gvili stated. "There are contradictions between the findings that were presented to us."

The Thai worker kidnapped from the orchards

Sutthisak Rinthalak (43) was a Thai national who had been employed in agriculture in Israel since 2017. He is survived by his parents and a brother. On the morning of the massacre, he was working in the orchards near Kibbutz Beeri.

On May 16, seven months after the massacre, his parents received the terrible news that their son had been murdered and his body was being held in Gaza. He was one of eight Thai citizens kidnapped to the Strip. Approximately two weeks after the massacre, his aunt was interviewed in Thailand and recounted that Rinthalak habitually sent money to his parents. On the day of the massacre, a video was shared from the terrorist attack in which she witnessed her nephew being kidnapped.

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Exactly two years after his children returned from Hamas captivity, Or, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri to the Gaza Strip on October 7, was returned to Israel as a deceased hostage on Tuesday evening.

Or, 49, was taken from his home on October 7 by Hamas terrorists. His wife Yonat was murdered during the attack, while his two children, Noam and Alma, were kidnapped and subsequently released in the first hostage deal in 2023. An expert committee convened in May 2024 determined that Or was no longer alive.

"The Government of Israel shared in the deep sorrow of the Or family and all the families of deceased hostages. The government and all of Israel's state security apparatus were determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return the two remaining deceased hostages for proper burial in their homeland," the PM's office said in a statement, adding that "The Hamas terror organization was required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of implementing the agreement. The government would not compromise on this and would spare no effort until all the hostages returned home, every last one of them."

Or (49) was a deceased hostage from Kibbutz Beeri who was kidnapped from his home on October 7. His wife, Yonat Or, was murdered, and their two children, Noam Or and Alma Or, were kidnapped and later released in the first deal in November 2023. An expert committee determined in May 2024 that Or was no longer alive.

Or was a devoted father to his three children – Yahli Or (18), Noam Or (17), and Alma Or (13). He served as Kibbutz Be'eri's cheesemaker, a leading culinary professional, a yoga instructor, and a man who appreciated silence.

On October 7, terrorists reached their home in the Kerem neighborhood. The family barricaded themselves in the safe room as their house was set on fire. While inside, united and embracing, Dror and Yonat made the critical decision to get their children out through the window – an action that ultimately saved their lives. Afterward, the couple separated and attempted to escape, but both were caught and murdered. The children were kidnapped to Gaza and returned to Israel after 50 days in captivity.

IDF representatives informed the family of Dror Or that their loved one has been brought back for burial.

According to the information and intelligence available to the IDF:

Dror Or, 48, was murdered by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization on Oct. 7th, 2023, and his body… pic.twitter.com/JDD9bWOmhx

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 26, 2025

Two other deceased hostages remain in the Gaza Strip: Ran Gvili, 24, and Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43. Gvili, an Israel Police counter-riot fighter, killed 14 terrorists before he was abducted. Rinthalak, a Thai national, was kidnapped while working in the orchards of Be'eri.

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Islamic Jihad said Monday night that it had formally located a deceased hostage. Qatar's Al Jazeera channel reported that the evacuation of the deceased hostage took place amid the rubble in northern Nuseirat in the Gaza Strip. According to the report, the deceased hostage had been held by Islamic Jihad.

Earlier Tuesday, the Prime Minister's Office criticized the delay in transferring the deceased hostage. "In light of Islamic Jihad's announcement that it located remains of a deceased hostage, Israel views the delay in its immediate transfer with the utmost severity. This constitutes another violation of the agreement," the statement said.

Three deceased hostages remain in Gaza: Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, 24; Dror Or, 49; and Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43. Gvili, a member of the Israel Police's Yasam special patrol unit, killed 14 terrorists before being abducted. Or was taken from his home in Kibbutz Be'eri; his wife was murdered and his children were released in the November 2023 deal. Rinthalak, a Thai agricultural worker, was kidnapped from the orchards where he worked.

The officer who fought with a broken shoulder

Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili (24), an Israel Police Special Patrol Unit (riot police) officer from Meitar, acted with great bravery and self-sacrifice during the battle in Alumim on October 7. An expert committee officially determined on January 30 that Gvili was no longer alive. Gvili had suffered a broken shoulder approximately ten days before the massacre and was awaiting surgery.

On the morning of October 7, after his family descended to their shelter, Gvili left and returned dressed in uniform.

His father, Itzik Gvili, recalled, "Rani said he would not let his friends fight alone, and that despite the broken shoulder, he could hold a pistol. I will never forget his look – it was as if he was saying, 'I've been waiting for this my whole life.'" Gvili reached the Beersheba police station, deployed to the battle in Alumim, and was shot in his hand and leg.

His mother, Talik Gvili, explained, "Rani took cover near a eucalyptus tree and applied a tourniquet to himself. He updated his friends on the direction the terrorists were approaching from. Meanwhile, dozens of Hamas operatives arrived and surrounded him." While facing them alone, he successfully eliminated 14 of the terrorists just moments before he was kidnapped.

Despite the declaration that he was deceased, his parents expressed doubts about his death. "There are quite a few question marks arising from the details conveyed to us," Talik Gvili stated. "There are contradictions between the findings that were presented to us."

The tragic family story left without parents

Dror Or (49) was a deceased hostage from Kibbutz Beeri who was kidnapped from his home on October 7. His wife, Yonat Or, was murdered, and their two children, Noam Or and Alma Or, were kidnapped and later released in the first deal in November 2023. An expert committee determined in May 2024 that Or was no longer alive.

Dror Or was a devoted father to his three children – Yahli Or (18), Noam Or (17), and Alma Or (13). He served as Kibbutz Beeri's cheesemaker, a leading culinary professional, a yoga instructor, and a man who appreciated the silence.

On October 7, terrorists reached their home in the Kerem neighborhood. The family barricaded themselves in the safe room as their house was set on fire. While inside, united, Dror and Yonat made the decision to get their children out through the window – an action that ultimately saved their lives. Afterward, the couple separated and attempted to escape, but both were caught and murdered. The children were kidnapped to Gaza and returned to Israel after 50 days in captivity.

The Thai worker kidnapped from the orchards

Sutthisak Rinthalak (43) was a Thai national who had been employed in agriculture in Israel since 2017. He is survived by his parents and a brother. On the morning of the massacre, he was working in the orchards near Kibbutz Beeri.

On May 16, seven months after the massacre, his parents received the terrible news that their son had been murdered and his body was being held in Gaza. He was one of eight Thai citizens kidnapped to the Strip. Approximately two weeks after the massacre, his aunt was interviewed in Thailand and recounted that Rinthalak habitually sent money to his parents. On the day of the massacre, a video was shared from the terrorist attack in which she witnessed her nephew being kidnapped.

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