Israel's last hostage Ran Gvili laid to rest in hometown Meitar, accompanied by family, thousands of Israelis & country's leadership

Thousands of Israelis gathered on Wednesday, accompanying the convoy carrying Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage to return from Gaza, on its way to the southern town of Meitar, where Gvili was laid to rest after a memorial attended by family, friends, and the country’s senior leadership.

Gvili’s coffin arrived in a convoy from the Military Rabbinate base at Shura, where the police had held a memorial ceremony for the fallen officer. An honor guard of dozens of officers saluted as the coffin arrived in Meitar.

The funeral ceremony was the first where a hostage family approved for the country’s senior officials to attend. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Police Chief Daniel Levi, and politicians like Knesset speaker Amir Ohana and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir paid their respects to the family.

Saluting Ran pic.twitter.com/E1VjNHVAZV
— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) January 28, 2026

Gvili’s mother Talik, praised her son as one of the country’s heroes. “Rani, my love, I promise you that thanks largely to you, all of Israel remembered that despite all the divisions, we are one big, strong people. Everyone is worthy of your sacrifice.”

“Rani and the other heroes give us the strength,” said Talik Gvili.

Ran Gvili served as a fighter in the Yasam Negev unit of the Police’s Southern District. On Oct. 7, he rushed into battle despite nursing a broken shoulder, saving dozens from the Nova music festival near Re’im and killing several terrorists before falling in battle.

Shira Gvili parting from her brother Ran Gvili, the last Gaza hostage, at his funeral in Meitar. Photo credit: (Uriel Even Sapir). pic.twitter.com/gec2rNDGmv
— Tovah Lazaroff (@tovahlazaroff) January 28, 2026

For his heroic actions to defend Kibbutz Alumim, he has become known as “Rani, the defender of Alumim.”

Ran’s father Itzik, recited the traditional Jewish Kaddish prayer over his son’s coffin. Upon receiving his son’s coffin after IDF soldiers had located it in northern Gaza two days ago, Itzik Gvili had said, “If you’d have asked Rani how he wanted to go, it would have been like this. This is his way.”

I’m not afraid to say I shed a few tears watching this..

Ran Gvili’s father Itzik with his son’s coffin:

“You had every opportunity to stay home, but you told me, 'Aba (Dad), I won't leave my friends alone.' The whole nation is with you. I am proud of you, my son." pic.twitter.com/rKCdZihivc
— Kosher (@koshercockney) January 26, 2026

“He saved us, saved the people of Israel, saved Kibbutz Alumim, he saved everyone. Rani always loved bringing people together, and [now] he’s united the country.”

In his eulogy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that “The closing of the grave of Ran Gvili seals the painful reality of the presence of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. All of them, the living and the deceased, we have brought them all home from enemy territory.”

“When Ran was identified, our soldiers burst into a mighty song. They sang 'Hatikvah' from the depths of their throats. It made my heart tremble. And they sang – 'I believe with perfect faith'. If we did not believe, we would not have found [Gvili],” said Netanyahu.

IDF soldiers singing after the recovery of Ran Gvili.

The song they are singing is Ani Ma’amin (“I Believe”):

“I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah.
Even though he may tarry, nonetheless I will wait for him.”

It has been over 800 days. Our faith may have… pic.twitter.com/bc9R7047ra
— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) January 26, 2026

“In doing so, we achieved what we have yearned for throughout these 843 days: to bring all our brothers and sisters home. And this is not yet the final word. We remain committed to our other goals: To dismantle Hamas's military capabilities and to demilitarize the Gaza Strip. And this, too, we shall achieve,” he vowed.

“Let those who seek our lives know: Whoever raises a hand against Israel will pay an unbearable price. To all those who think they can break us, I say: come to Meitar. To all those who think they will defeat us, listen to Talik Gvili, you will not defeat us. We will defeat and crush you.”

Remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Funeral of Master-Sgt. Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, in Meitar >>https://t.co/zFtUgYCMZ7 pic.twitter.com/spAR52o03c
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 28, 2026

Netanyahu again recounted Gvili’s heroic actions on Oct. 7, noting that “despite being wounded in battle against the terrorists, shot twice in his body along with his injured shoulder, he defended Kibbutz Alumim and killed 14 accursed terrorists. His exemplary fighting, until the very last bullet, will be remembered for generations.”

He added that a new community, to be built east of Beersheba, will be called “Renanim” in Gvili’s honor, and “will express through its name the greatness of Ran’s actions for the sake of Israel.”

The prophet Joel says: 'They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war.'

The inspiring heroism of Ran Gvili will be a foundation stone in the defensive wall of our state forever. May his memory be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/f5QKbH0DvI
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 28, 2026

President Isaac Herzog, in his eulogy, asked the Gvili’s family’s forgiveness on behalf of the nation: “Forgiveness that we were not there for him; forgiveness that, together with so many other families, you were forced to wait for his return for so many long, agonizing days.”

“Now, in the sanctity of this moment, the shattered fragments of our hearts can slowly begin to heal and repair, which we so desperately need as a people. An entire nation sees you today, aches with you, embraces you in its heart and tears, and knows that through your path, and through Rani’s path, we must rise from this terrible agony.”

“We must rise to the next chapter of our journey as a people, strong and confident in our path, hand in hand, with far more boundless love and belief in our people and belief in our Jewish and democratic State of Israel, and guard it with utmost devotion, just as Rani did.”

Herzog emphasized that the nation is now “bound by a solemn duty” to look at the failures leading to the Oct. 7 catastrophe, “to investigate thoroughly, to examine deeply, to pursue the truth; to heal and to recover, and together build here a shared Israeli tomorrow, in your memory, dear and beloved Rani, and for us all.”

"There are so many heroes in this country."

"Fauda" star and famous Israeli singer Idan Amadi performed at Ran Gvili's funeral, giving the murdered hostage a final goodbye with his song “It’s Over.” pic.twitter.com/2oyPATavxa
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) January 28, 2026

The funeral was also attended by several other former hostages, including Bar Kuperstein, Omer Wenkert, Segev Kalfon, Avinatan Or and Yosef Chaim Ohana.

Representatives of the mainstream Hostages Forum, as well as the more hawkish Tikvah Forum, were also in attendance, as the Gvili family had belonged to both groups.

I met extraordinary people at the funeral of Ran Gvili, including his grieving sister and the hero who helped bring him home. Ran will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/Q5beNM7qPr
— LeoTerrell (@TheLeoTerrell) January 28, 2026

In addition to the Israeli representatives, the Trump administration’s Antisemitism Task Force leader, Leo Terrell, also spoke at the funeral, conveying a message “from the greatest president of my lifetime, and the best friend Israel’s ever had in the White House, Donald J. Trump.”

“He is extremely happy that not only Rani is home, but all the hostages are home. I want to relay a message from the President: You have an ally in America, you have a friend in America, you will never fight hate alone because the United States of America stands behind Israel.”