Israel launches ‘large-scale operation’ to find last Gaza hostage

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Associated PressJanuary 25, 2026 at 11:40 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza to locate the remains of the last hostage, Ran Gvili, which is seen as the final obstacle to opening the Rafah crossing and beginning the ceasefire's second phase. The search is focused on a cemetery in northern Gaza and the Shuja’iya-Daraj Tuffah area, involving specialized search teams, rabbis, and dental experts. The operation comes as the Israeli cabinet discusses opening the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, amid pressure from the US and other mediators to advance the ceasefire. Hamas claims to have provided all available information on Gvili's remains and accuses Israel of obstructing search efforts. Separately, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees' headquarters in East Jerusalem was set ablaze after being partially demolished by Israeli bulldozers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

East Jerusalem 30% Shuja'iya-Daraj Tuffah 30% Egypt 40% UN agency for Palestinian refugees 40% Benjamin Netanyahu ×250% Rafah ×360% United States ×260% Ran Gvili ×570% Hamas ×370% Gaza ×680% Israel ×1090%

Keywords

hostage recovery 100% gaza 90% ceasefire 80% israel 70% rafah crossing 70% search operation 60% hamas 60% us mediators 50% ran gvili 50% un agency 40%