Ran Gvili's funeral procession in pictures: Last hostage heads to final rest as crowds line streets
The day that St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili received his proper funeral in Israel, more than two years after the October 7 massacre.
St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, the final Gaza hostage, was accompanied by thousands lining the streets as his coffin headed for burial in Meitar, his Negev hometown, on Wednesday.
Israeli Police officers and IDF soldiers raise their hands in respect to St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body procession in Meitar, Negev. January 28.Credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL Gvili's body was returned to Israel on Monday as part of Operation Brave Heart.
The IDF found his remains at around 2:00 p.m. at al-Batesh cemetery in northern Gaza.
The car bringing up the body of the deceased hostage, St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili arrives in Meitar, Gvili's hometown city in the Negev. January 28. Credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-ILGvili was killed on October 7, 2023. That day, after evacuating survivors of the Nova massacre to safety, Gvili and his comrades returned to Alumim to continue the fight against the dozens of terrorists who attempted to conquer the kibbutz.
Wounded and surrounded, Gvili was overpowered by Hamas terrorists and was subsequently murdered.
Born in Meitar, a town in southern Israel, Ran was the son of Talik and Itzik Gvili, and the younger brother of Omri and Shira Gvili.
Leo Feierberg Better contributed to this report.