Netanyahu Ensures Israel Brings One Hostage Body Still In Gaza
JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was determined to take home the body of a hostage who was still in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
Speaking at a government meeting to approve the state budget in 2026, PM Netanyahu said Israel was "strengthened" to repatriate the body of Police Sergeant Ran Gvili, the last hostage still in Gaza.
"We are determined to repatriate Rani to be buried in Israel and will try our best to do so," Netanyahu said, a day after the body of another hostage, Sudthisak Rinthalak, was handed over to Israel by the Palestinian militant group through the Red Cross.
"My wife and I continue to be in touch with her extraordinary family. We will repatriate her as we repatriated 254 hostages," he said.
Gvili was killed and kidnapped while battling terrorists in the Alumim border community on the morning of October 7, 2023.
It is known that Palestinian militant groups and Israelis agreed on the first phase of the ceasefire to take effect on October 10.
Under the agreement, Palestinian militants must hand over the last 20 surviving hostages, as well as 28 hostages' bodies. reported Al Arabiya from AFP.
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With the latest repatriation, Rintharak, 27 bodies have been returned. In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians who have died.