Remains of last Israeli captive in Gaza retrieved, says Israel 

The Israeli military says the remains of Ran Gvili, the last Israeli captive in the Gaza Strip, have been retrieved, clearing the way for the next phase of a ceasefire deal agreed in October.

“Following the completion of the identification process by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, [military] representatives informed the family of the late Ran Gvili that his body has been returned for burial,” said army spokesman Avichay Adraee.

“Thus, all the hostages held in the Gaza Strip have been repatriated,” it added.

The announcement comes after Hamas’s military wing said it had given “all the details” to truce mediators on the possible location of the last captive’s body to be returned to Israel under the US-brokered ceasefire.

Israel had previously said it would open the Rafah crossing only after the last captive was found. But itt has insisted that the Rafah crossing would open on a “limited basis for the passage of people only”.

More to come…