Hostage’s family: ‘We’re scared Ran will be the next Hadar Goldin’

Talik Gvili expressed deep gratitude to the Israeli public for standing with her family as she fights for the return of her son’s body.

By World Israel News Staff

The mother of a deceased hostage whose body remains in the Gaza Strip said she hopes her son will soon be returned, expressing deep fear that he will become the next Hadar Goldin — the Israeli soldier whose body was held by Hamas for more than a decade before finally being brought home.

Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, 24, was killed in battle against invading Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. His body was abducted to Gaza by the terror group after he fell while defending Kibbutz Alumim.

Gvili served in Yasam, a police special forces unit, and was among the first responders battling the terrorists who invaded the Gaza border communities.

Speaking with the Hebrew-language outlet Ynet, his mother, Talik, said she worries her son will become a “symbol” of victory for Hamas, similar to how the terror group repeatedly boasted about holding Goldin’s body for years.

She described her family’s ordeal as “surreal,” saying they hope the process to return Ran’s body “will be over as soon as possible,” as they struggle to cope with each day he remains in captivity.

Talik said she has met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu numerous times over the past two years, and she emphasized her gratitude to the people of Israel for supporting her family throughout their struggle to repatriate their son’s body.

“I need to give a huge thank you to the Israeli public, because it really feels like they are embracing us and are truly behind us — and that gives us so much strength,” she told Ynet.

Talik added that the family has been told that the location of Ran’s body is “more or less known,” but there are significant challenges preventing a rescue.

Under the terms of the Trump-brokered ceasefire agreement signed in October, Hamas is obligated to return the bodies of all hostages abducted on October 7.

The group still holds the bodies of three hostages — two Israelis and one Thai national — while repeatedly stalling, in what Israeli officials deem a blatant violation of the agreement.