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Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday marked a historic and emotional moment in the Knesset plenum by reciting the bracha of Shehecheyanu after IDF forces completed the mission to return the body of Ran Gvili Hy”d, the last fallen hostage held in the Gaza Strip.

Opening his remarks with the full bracha, Netanyahu said, “Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, shehecheyanu v’kiyemanu v’higi’anu lazman hazeh,” before addressing the members of Knesset. “My friends, members of the Knesset, a short time ago we brought Rani Gvili home, a hero of Israel. There are no more hostages in Gaza.”

Netanyahu praised the security forces for what he described as the flawless execution of a sacred mission. “I bless the commanders and soldiers of the IDF and the Shin Bet for the perfect completion of this holy task,” he said. Turning to the family, the prime minister added, “I embrace Talik and Itzik and the entire noble Gvili family. I looked them in the eyes and said: ‘We will bring Rani home.’ I promised you, citizens of Israel: we will bring everyone home.”

Referring to the yellow hostage pin worn by many Israelis since the outbreak of the war, Netanyahu removed the pin from his lapel during his address. “We all wore the pin, and now that the mission has been completed, the time has come to remove it,” he said. “For the sons have returned to their borders, and the daughters have returned to their borders.”

The prime minister expressed gratitude to those who assisted in bringing the mission to its conclusion. “I wish to thank Gal Hirsch for his tireless dedication to this mission. I thank my colleagues in the government who supported this effort throughout. I thank President Trump, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and their teams for their significant and important support.”

Netanyahu concluded by thanking the public at large. “I thank the entire people of Israel for the tefillos and the chizuk. We have completed this mission, as I promised, and so too will we complete the other missions we have set before us.”

{Matzav.com}

A Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative captured by Israeli forces in Gaza City last month provided key intelligence that helped Israeli authorities confirm the location of the remains of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili hy”d, the Shin Bet said. According to Shin Bet, the operative had been involved in military activity against Israeli forces during the war […]

Military-ruled Myanmar appears to have adopted the tactics of sanction-busting nations such as Russia, Iran and North Korea by using evasive sailing routes and dodgy ships to disguise the sources of aviation fuel it uses for air attacks in the country’s civil war, the human rights group Amnesty International said Monday. The London-based group’s investigation […]

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Israel’s political leadership responded with visible emotion following the return of the body of Ran Gvili Hy”d, with senior officials across the spectrum describing the moment as a painful yet profound closure and a fulfillment of a promise sealed in blood.

In a powerful and symbolic gesture, President Isaac Herzog removed the yellow hostage pin from his suit lapel. “All of our hearts are with Tali and Itzik, who fought a noble struggle,” the president wrote. “Since 2014, and after many long and difficult years, there is no Israeli citizen in the Gaza Strip. An entire nation prayed for this moment.” Herzog summarized the significance of the development by declaring: “The circle has closed — there are no more Israelis in Gaza.”

Security officials echoed the sense of moral responsibility fulfilled. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir spoke with the family immediately following Operation “Lev Amitz” and stated succinctly: “We did not leave anyone behind.” Police Commissioner Insp. Gen. Danny Levy emphasized Gvili’s personal heroism, noting his service as a Yassam fighter who stood as a protective shield for civilians on October 7.

Members of the political echelon described the recovery as a moral victory. Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said, “A moment of closure that underscores our commitment to every soldier and every citizen. This is our mutual responsibility.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri added, “A moment of deep pain and moral closure. There is no other nation like this in the world that does not give up on its sons, in life and in death.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reflected the mixed emotions felt nationwide, saying, “Shattering and overwhelming emotions. The heart breaks for the Yassam fighter who gave his life, alongside immense relief that he is no longer in enemy hands. Welcome home, Rani.”

Opposition leaders also issued statements of tribute. Yair Lapid said, “I embrace the family that fought so hard. Ran was the last hostage in Gaza — I welcome his return for a proper burial.” Gadi Eisenkot remarked, “The heart breaks and heals at the same time. This operation is the essence of the story of the Jewish people — a nation that does not forget and does not let go.”

International figures joined the expressions of condolence as well. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former national security adviser Mike Waltz referenced his personal connection to the family, stating, “I had the honor to pray with them. Now the healing can begin.”

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of residents gathered at the Nahal Oz junction to pay their final respects to Ran Gvili hy”d.

A short ceremony was held in memory of Master Sergeant Ran Gvili HY’D the IDF’s Nahal Oz base. Ran’s Levaya will be held Wednesday.

The Bobov-45 Rebbe in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he is currently staying on a vacation.

An IDF soldier who took part in the operation to locate the body of Ran Gvili described the intense emotions that swept through the forces involved, recounting the dramatic moments surrounding the final identification at a burial site in Gaza.

The news of the recovery of Ran Gvili’s body, announced at 2:50 p.m. on Monday, sent a wave of emotion through hundreds of soldiers and professionals who had been operating in the area. One of the fighters who participated in the mission described the scene in stark terms. “It’s impossible to describe what happened here; crying, shouting, unbelievable,” he said, adding simply: “Everyone here is crying.”

According to the soldier, the complex operation focused on what he called “a massive cemetery with thousands of bodies.” Due to the scale of the site and the number of remains, the forces were required to develop independent capabilities in the field. “We developed our own technology,” the soldiers testified, describing the methods used to cope with the enormity of the task.

The work was carried out at a rapid and methodical pace under intense time pressure, with teams operating continuously. “We worked nonstop from yesterday afternoon, 24 hours,” the soldier recounted, noting that the effort involved examining approximately 350 bodies before reaching the long-sought identification.

Hundreds of soldiers from the Alexandroni Brigade took part in the operation, alongside extensive medical and religious support teams. “There are 24 doctors here, it’s like a factory,” the soldier said, describing the organized process on site. The mission combined sensitive engineering and explosive-ordnance work, with nine excavators operating alongside fighters from the Yahalom unit. According to testimony from the field, the unit’s fighters carried out “bomb clearance before every grave, and then the rabbanut personnel enter.”

The recovery came after forces mapped and marked roughly 900 potential bodies, a figure that, according to those involved, underscores the complexity of the mission, as it represents only “about 5%” of all those buried at the vast site.

“It’s impossible to describe what happened here. Crying, shouting, unbelievable,” the soldier concluded emotionally, summing up the atmosphere following the identification.

{Matzav.com}

Jared Kushner touts the coordination between the US, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar and “many cooperative Gazans” who helped locate and return the bodies of all deceased hostages from Gaza. “Coordination and trust were built between individuals and organizations where none previously existed. This produced tangible results…

As a U.S. aircraft carrier advances toward Iran, the Yemen-based Houthis have published a video implicitly threatening to resume targeting ships transiting the Red Sea.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is dispatching “border czar” Tom Homan to Minnesota following a second deadly immigration enforcement-involved shooting this month, a move that effectively sidelines Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and highlights growing internal tensions over the administration’s enforcement strategy. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Homan would take […]

Here’s the latest look at the New York City weather forecast and what to expect for the rest of the week.

UPDATE: 7 people were killed and 1 was seriously injured when a Bombardier Challenger 650 private jet crashed during takeoff at Bangor International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. * Air traffic control audio indicates low visibility and deicing conditions were discussed before the jet was cleared for takeoff from Runway 33. * Less […]

A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group centered around the USS Abraham Lincoln has entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, a region that includes Iran, according to reports confirmed by a U.S. official.

The official confirmed the deployment to CBS News. The carrier is operating alongside three guided missile destroyers — the USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr., the USS Spruance, and the USS Michael Murphy — and the group is equipped with F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, F-35C fighter jets, and MH-60 helicopters. As of Monday morning, the strike group had not yet gone “on station,” indicating it had not reached its designated operational location.

President Donald Trump has so far refrained from ordering retaliatory military action against Iran despite reports of mass killings of protesters, though the repositioning of U.S. naval forces into the region creates new military options.

At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian-backed terrorist groups across the Middle East are reportedly signaling preparedness for open conflict.

IRGC Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said Iranian forces have their “finger on the trigger” and warned both the United States and Israel against “any miscalculation,” according to reports from Iran-linked Nournews and The Associated Press.

Trump said last week that a “massive fleet” was moving toward Iran “just in case” action is needed, while also emphasizing that the forces may ultimately not be used.

According to a report published Saturday by The Jerusalem Post, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has gone into hiding amid fears that U.S. airstrikes could target him.

The military buildup comes as unrest continues to grip Iran following widespread protests that erupted in late December. Trump has repeatedly cautioned Iranian leaders against the killing of peaceful demonstrators and against carrying out mass executions of individuals detained during the protests.

{Matzav.com}

The body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili HY”D has been brought back to Israel from the Gaza Strip after 843 days, the IDF confirmed Tuesday, marking the end of all hostage cases in Gaza. In a statement, the military said Gvili’s family has been informed that their son was positively identified and returned to Israel […]