The father of the final Israeli hostage whose body remains in Gaza has publicly accused Hamas of 'messing' with his family, following the militant group's failure to return his son's remains under a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.
A Father's Anguish at Hostages Square
Speaking to a gathered crowd at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday, Itzik Gvili made an emotional plea for the return of his son, Ran. Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old policeman, was shot dead by Hamas during its unprecedented assault on October 7, 2023, before his body was taken into the Gaza Strip.
'Hamas says it's looking for the bodies, but we don't see any progress,' the grieving father stated. 'They're messing with us and it has to stop, now.' He described the family's desperate need to have Ran's remains brought home to allow them to properly grieve and achieve closure.
The Unfulfilled Ceasefire Terms
Ran was one of approximately 250 Israeli and foreign civilians and soldiers abducted during the Hamas attack. A US-sponsored ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10, stipulated that Hamas would hand over all 48 hostages it still held at that time, 20 of whom were alive.
To date, the group has returned 46 individuals, which included the remains of a fallen soldier abducted over a decade ago. However, two bodies are still being held in Gaza: those of Ran Gvili and Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.
Itzik Gvili implored the authorities, 'Enough with the pain and open wounds we want to get off this rollercoaster. It's time to bring Sudthisak and Rani back.'
Ongoing Efforts and a Brother's Legacy
On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured the Gvili family of his determination to secure the return of Ran's body, according to a statement from the premier's office. Netanyahu also spoke with Thailand's ambassador to Israel, Boonyarit Vichienpuntu, to update him on parallel efforts to retrieve the body of Sudthisak Rinthalak.
Rinthalak, 43, worked on plantations at the Be'eri kibbutz and was one of several Thai labourers killed on October 7. His death was confirmed by Israel in May 2024.
Remembering his son's character, Itzik Gvili said that Ran was among the officers who rushed out to confront the Hamas assault. 'They didn't stop to check your background or where you're from - they valiantly protected anyone who needed help,' he said. 'That was their spirit and that's the heritage they leave us.'
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum is organising further rallies, including one on Saturday evening, to maintain pressure on the government, with a clear message: 'Ran and Sudthisak must come home - we cannot let this opportunity slip away!'
