On January 27th the remains of Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer who was killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, was returned to his family. This provided many with closure as it marks the return of the last of the hostages that were held in Gaza. Forensic teams spent years looking to locate and identify his remains.

The returning of these remains was of great significance to Israel and the people that were affected by this, so much so that a ceremony was held where the final hostage pin was removed from  St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili’s memorial brick in the National Memorial Hall for Israel’s Fallen on Mount Herzl. This ceremony was organized by the families of those affected.

Now that the final hostage has been returned there are talks of some changes being made. Primarily, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has said the same day the hostage was returned that Israel will reopen Gaza’s border crossing with Egypt in both directions, allowing Palestinians to enter and leave the territory after nearly two years of closure. This would be limited to foot traffic so it wouldn’t allow for cars or cargo to use this border. Netanyahu has now said that his sole goal is to disarm Hamas. He stated at a news conference, “As I agreed with President Trump, there are only two possibilities: either it will be done the easy way or it will be done the hard way…In any case, it will happen.”  So much is said to change within Israel and neighboring nations. Though it can be predicted that the future will hold more freedom within the borders.