President Trump Celebrates Recovery of Last Israeli Hostage from Gaza

President Donald Trump proclaimed the return of the remains of the last Israeli hostage from Gaza as an “impossible” achievement. He emphasized it was now time to move to Phase 2 of the Gaza Framework, stating, “We must disarm Hamas now.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Monday that they had located, retrieved, and identified the body of Sgt. Private First Class Ran Gviri, marking the end of the hostage repatriation process as per the initial phase of the cease-fire agreement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump congratulated the team, saying, “We just recovered the last hostage body in Gaza. So we got back all 20 living hostages and all the dead! Great job! Most people thought it would be impossible. Congratulations to my great champion team!”

During an interview with Axios and Israeli television, Trump mentioned that Hamas was involved in the efforts to recover Gviri’s body, detailing the extensive search and identification that took place. “They worked hard to recover the bodies,” he noted, adding that his team had to look through hundreds of remains.

With the recovery finalized, Trump expressed a sense of urgency about the next step in the agreement: “Now we need to disarm Hamas as promised,” he remarked, signaling to skeptics that their doubts were unfounded in the past and might be again.

Trump noted, “Nobody believed we would be able to bring all the hostages back. It was an amazing moment.” He was briefed by aides who had spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating he was “very excited” about the communication.

The president asked that his sentiments be shared with the families, saying, “Please tell my parents I’m very happy.”

At a White House briefing, press secretary Caroline Levitt described the return of the last hostage’s body as “a great foreign policy feat,” claiming the president “made the impossible possible,” while also referencing the administration’s broader policy concerning Gaza.

In Israel, Netanyahu described Gviri’s return as an “extraordinary achievement” for the IDF and the nation, reiterating Israel’s commitment to bringing everyone back home: “We promised, I promised, we would bring everyone back, and we brought everyone back, down to the last man.”

Addressing Congress, Netanyahu recited the “shehecheyanu,” a Jewish blessing for moments of joy, announcing that “there are no more hostages in Gaza.” He also thanked Trump and his aides for their “great and important support.”

Netanyahu ceremonially removed a yellow hostage pin from his lapel, stating, “The mission has been accomplished and it’s time to take it off,” indicating that the next goal should be Hamas’s disarmament.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed Netanyahu’s praises, commending the leadership and determination shown throughout the crisis, and he too highlighted the importance of returning every last hostage.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog remarked that the nation had reached “the moment we have been waiting for for 843 days,” calling the end of the hostage crisis a significant turning point. He noted it was particularly meaningful that the residence “finally removed the yellow chairs” symbolizing solidarity with prisoners of war.

Completing the first phase exerts maximum pressure on Hamas to disarm, which is crucial for the second phase of the agreement.

This approach aligns with a broader Gaza framework that Trump outlined recently at Davos. At this gathering, he initiated a new peace commission, labeling it one of the “most significant” efforts to focus on Gaza after Hamas consented to a comprehensive plan for U.S. support.

During the Davos discussions, Jared Kushner presented a vision for revamping Gaza, aiming to transform it into an economic hub by 2035. He emphasized that security is a prerequisite for any reconstruction efforts, arguing that a unique framework must be established.

Kushner reiterated that, according to previous warnings, Hamas was expected to disarm, reminding them that failure to do so would lead to severe consequences. After Gviri’s return, he reaffirmed that disarming Hamas would be the next crucial step.

In comments made separately on Monday, Kushner highlighted that the recovery marked both an ending and a new beginning, stressing the importance of U.S., Israeli, and regional cooperation in helping Gaza emerge free from Hamas’s influence to avoid future violence.

Meanwhile, Israeli and U.S.-backed officials conveyed that while the hostage situation had been resolved, significant challenges still lie ahead, particularly concerning disarmament and the plans for border arrangements and long-term reconstruction in Gaza.

With Gviri home at last, Trump conveyed on Monday that the hostage crisis was officially over, turning the focus to the imminent test of disarmament.