Israel says the remains of the final hostage in Gaza have been recovered, clearing the way for the next phase of the ceasefire that stopped the Israel-Hamas war.

Israel's military says the remains of Ran Gvili, the last person whose body was taken hostage into Gaza, have been recovered.

The crossing has been under a near complete closure since Israel seized it in May 2024, saying the step was part of a strategy to halt cross-border arms smuggling by Hamas. It was briefly opened for the evacuation of medical patients during a short-lived ceasefire in early 2025.

Israel will reopen the Rafah Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt for pedestrian traffic in both directions on Sunday, according to the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit.

The remarks came shortly after the IDF located the remains of slain hostage St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, in northern Gaza.

Prior to the ceasefire, it was confirmed that Israel, generally through the Shin Bet, but sometimes also in conjunction with the IDF, would provide various kinds of support to Gazan militias. Israel continues to back Gazan militias even after the October ceasefire to fight Hamas in portions of the Strip under the terror group's control over the Yellow Line,

Israel released 15 bodies of Palestinians killed during its war in Gaza, three days after the remains of the last Israeli hostage was returned.

A key border crossing is set to reopen, the ceasefire is moving forward and the United States is imagining a gleaming new Gaza, but Palestinians in the devastated enclave are still struggling to simpl