Israel’s Last Hostage Comes Homes
February 8, 2026
Our Mission Statement: Good News Israel: Restore the Pride celebrates the innovation, resilience and diversity that truly defines Israel. By spotlighting the stories that rarely make the headlines, this column seeks to inspire pride, spark hope, and encourage readers to contribute to Israel’s continued success.
This week follows the remarkable story of how the last remaining hostage was uncovered. It is testament to the immense time, painstaking effort, and the expertise of countless forensic specialists, who make the discovery and identification possible. Above all, it reflects the resilience and unwavering perseverance of the Israeli people, driven by a sacred commitment to ensure that no soldier is ever left behind.
Among the moving accounts is Israeli blogger Arlene Kushner’s “From Israel: Be Proud, Stand Tough, Israel.” Police officer Ran Gvili was killed fighting invading Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. Hamas took his body to Gaza, and he was the last hostage living or dead returned to Israel.
Arlene: “The nation responded emotionally to Ran’s return. Officials publicly removed their yellow hostage pins worn on their lapels. There is no one else to bring home.”
Arlene: “The story of how he was recovered is nothing short of amazing.” About a month ago, a captured terrorist revealed four cemeteries in Gaza where Ran’s remains, which had been repeatedly moved, might be. Searches of the first three proved futile. Israel exhumed 250 bodies from the fourth, where teams of forensic experts and dentists tentatively identified Gvili’s remains, later confirmed by experts in Israel.
The Israeli soldiers at the Gaza site sandg a hymn after the discovery was made. Arlene: “Israel will be re-interring the 250 bodies at the cemetery in as dignified a manner as possible, out of respect for the dead.” Seeing the video of the hymn brought tears to Arlene’s eyes. She asks: “Is there another people like Am Yisrael, which behaves with such devotion and dignity?”
