Despite denials, Israel says terror group knows the location of Ran Gvili’s remains

An Israeli official said the PIJ’s knowledge has been conveyed repeatedly to mediators.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli officials say members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad are aware of the location of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili’s remains, and they have told mediators that the next stage of the agreement cannot advance until his body is returned, Ynet reports.

Gvili, a police officer killed in Gaza, is regarded as the final fallen hostage whose remains have not been recovered.

One senior government official described continuous work across multiple channels. “The efforts are being done through the negotiating team, and contacts with the mediators, also through connections with the Americans, as well as intelligence actions,” the official said.

He added that “there are those in the Islamic Jihad who know where Ran Gvili is,” insisting that the group’s knowledge has been conveyed repeatedly to mediators.

The same official said Israel has pressed for concrete movement. “We are not going to give up on this. Information we have given to the mediators multiple times, including recently, must be translated into effective actions to bring him back,” he stated.

Discussions last Thursday in Cairo, led by POW and Missing Persons Coordinator Gal Hirsch, included a direct message to regional intermediaries.

An Israeli official told the outlet, “We shared information on the matter… and we will not relent until Ran is buried in Israel.”

According to that official, the return of Gvili’s remains is viewed as central to the broader implementation process.

He rejected Islamic Jihad’s narrative, calling the organization’s version “false” and saying responsibility ultimately lies with Hamas. He added that searches continued even after the most recent statements from Gaza.

Islamic Jihad claimed on Tuesday that it had fulfilled all obligations regarding the hostages, asserting in a Telegram message that it had “handed over the final remains” on December 2. Abu Hamza, speaking for the group’s al-Quds Brigades, said the organization had “closed the file.”

N12 reported that Hirsch responded sharply in a message to mediators.

“Islamic Jihad’s statement is unacceptable to us. There are those who know where Ran is being held. We will not let this go.” He reaffirmed that Israel will not move forward without the return of Gvili’s body, saying, “We will not relent until he is returned to his grave in Israel.”