How The IDF Recovered Ran Gvili’s Body: IDF Commander Tells All
The deputy commander of the Southern Command Search Unit in the Military Rabbinate’s Combat Unit, Major A., has described the operation that led to the recovery of the remains of Ran Gvili, the last deceased hostage held in the Gaza Strip. In an interview with Arutz Sheva–Israel National News, Maj. A. detailed Operation Courageous Heart and the complex effort required to complete the mission.
According to Maj. A., preparations for the operation had been underway for some time, but a range of operational limitations delayed its execution. Despite the postponements, the unit maintained a high level of readiness until an opportunity finally emerged. “Last week they were notified of a window of opportunity to execute the mission, and we began to get ready. We called the soldiers from their homes three days before the operation, we were issued the dedicated gear, and we practiced on dummies,” he said.
Maj. A. explained that several additional units operated under his command during the mission. These included a forensic dental team responsible for identification, an explosives ordnance unit tasked with protecting the forces, terrain specialists, an IDF anthropologist, personnel from the Captives and Missing Persons Unit, and the combat soldiers who carried out the recovery itself.
Describing the work in the field, Maj. A. said the unit advanced alongside engineering forces that carefully excavated the area. “We joined an engineering unit that dug in the dirt with the excavators and pulled out the remains. This is very precise work; it demands great concentration by the troops,” he said. He noted that before entering the cemetery area, a navigation and marking team analyzed aerial imagery and flagged locations where there was a likelihood of finding Gvili’s remains.
Maj. A. emphasized that although heavy machinery was used, the approach was deliberately restrained. He described it as the most delicate work possible with the largest tools available. Prior to the operation, he addressed his soldiers about the sensitivity involved, and throughout the mission there was close coordination between a supervisor on the ground and the excavator operator to ensure precision.
Once remains were removed from the ground, they were carefully arranged to allow an initial assessment by forensic dentists. Maj. A. said the process involved exact documentation and clear marking, to confirm that every element intended to be recovered from the grave was indeed accounted for.
Reflecting on the moment the remains were located, Maj. A. said the discovery came sooner than expected. “We began on Sunday afternoon, and we were prepared for a few more days. For this, we called up a few more soldiers to allow for the constant execution of the operation, but we found Ran even before the next group of soldiers. There was a great sense of pride, the feeling of coming full circle on a biblical level,” he said. He recalled speaking to his soldiers beforehand about the biblical account of Samson, noting how scripture describes Samson’s family returning to recover his body after the collapse of the pillars. “We have the same spirit and the same heritage.”
When asked about the dangers involved, Maj. (Res.) A. acknowledged that the mission was carried out under significant risk, though he said the details could not be shared because the area remains an active combat zone. He pointed to the security perimeter provided by the Alexandroni Brigade and stressed that the threat level persisted throughout the operation.
Maj. A. also spoke about the makeup of the Military Rabbinate’s combat unit, explaining that it draws fighters from across the IDF. “These are infantry fighters from all IDF units, religious and secular alike, who are willing to carry out the mission that the people of Israel need,” he said.
He described a profound sense of completion felt by the soldiers after Gvili was recovered, connecting the moment to the unit’s earlier experiences. “Before the war, we were required to assist along the Judea and Samaria sector. We were stationed at the Lamed-Heh outpost, where we carried out operational activity for nearly a month. During that period, we conducted a drill to maintain our operational readiness, and at its conclusion, we held a formation in which we recounted the Lamed-Heh convoy incident, in which our soldiers were killed and their bodies abused until a British officer understood the importance of the matter and brought the fallen to Kfar Etzion, where the Vilna Gaon’s lottery was conducted. We pledged that we would not leave a fallen soldier behind. As a unit, we swore to bring everyone back. We held that formation on the anniversary of the fall of the Lamed-Heh platoon, and now, on the Hebrew date of the 8th of Shevat, we found Ran Gvili. For us, this is a very special closing of a circle.”
Toward the conclusion of the interview, Maj. A. addressed questions about the findings inside Gvili’s grave. He said the discoveries were consistent with the intelligence the unit had received ahead of time, including dental evidence used for identification. He added that “based on the information we received, we understood that he might be found with some of his uniform, and indeed we found those items in that same grave together with his remains.” According to Maj. A., the information guiding the operation was obtained through a combination of human intelligence and additional technological capabilities.
{Matzav.com}
