Israel confirmed on Monday that the remains of the last captive held in Gaza, Ran Gvili, had been positively identified, and that “all those held in the war‑torn Palestinian territory have now been repatriated”, according to an Israeli government statement. Hamas said on Monday that the return of remains demonstrated its fulfilment of phase one of the October ceasefire agreement, calling the handover “clear and responsible”.

The repatriation has enabled a limited reopening of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, a vital corridor for humanitarian aid into Gaza, subject to an Israeli inspection mechanism approved by the Prime Minister’s Office. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told lawmakers on Monday that Israel’s next objective is the “disarmament of Hamas, and the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip”, foregoing immediate large‑scale reconstruction promised by Jared Kushner.

A US official, briefing reporters on background on Monday, said any disarmament of Hamas is likely to be accompanied by “some sort of amnesty” for the group, a condition discussed as part of the phased ceasefire implementation agreed in October. The developments reshape the immediate humanitarian and security calculus in Gaza, while raising rights questions about reparations, accountability, and the conditions attached to aid and movement across Rafah.

Sources: Israeli government statement, Hamas statement, Prime Minister’s Office release, background briefing by US administration officials, October ceasefire agreement reporting.