The counter was removed Tuesday, on the 843rd day of October 7. The day after Ran Gvili’s return to Israel, the day before his burial. No more hostages in Gaza. Not a single Israeli hostage in Gaza for the first time since 2014. Good cause for concern. Israelis understand the implications, newly vulnerable, considering the value to Palestinian terrorist organizations of holding an Israeli hostage.
Israelis waited since the last living hostages were returned from Gaza in October 2025 for the return of the one remaining deceased hostage. Closure. Closure of sorts. Anticipated. I was surprised by the surge of emotion I felt on Monday afternoon when I heard the words, “Ran Gvili is back in Israel.” Ceremoniously, I removed my yellow “Bring Them Home Now” bracelet and my yellow ribbon necklace, untied the yellow ribbons on my car doors and mirrors, and removed the sticker and the “Until the Last Hostage” magnet. I put them in a decorative tin of their own together with my “Bring Them Home Now” water bottle. Tears of joy and sadness shared by everyone – no more hostages, yet a hero to be buried. Only closure of a sort.
A Palestinian friend from the West Bank wrote and told me she was relieved that the body had been returned. Not a given. More than that, she told me that reading posts and comments by Gazans reflected their relief and what she described as quiet happiness. Now, she said, they can recover emotionally, even more than Israelis. I don’t quite know what that means. Yet beyond that she understood that somehow this was a signal to them that they could begin to speak openly about the atrocity that Hamas brought upon them by its the devastating decisions and actions, ostensibly in their name.
Today, an Ha’aretz headline reports IDF admitting to killing 70,000 Gazans in this war, questioning what other accusations will prove true. Preposterous conspiracy theories – to me – that Bibi allows to penetrate public consciousness rather than deny – compel us all to ask questions.
My Palestinian friend understood Gazans could recover emotionally now even more than Israelis. She feels invincible hope resonating from what Gazans wrote about the return of the last hostage. Now we will move from the October 2025 ceasefire to Stage 2?
Israelis await demilitarization of Hamas – a preliminary condition for Stage 2. The government of Israel promised an absolute victory over Hamas. In its absence, some fallen soldiers’ families ask what their loved ones gave their lives for.
Gazans can recover emotionally now, more than Israelis? Got it. My shattered soul – and all the returned hostages are entitled to our apologies for the fate they endured and are entitled to recover anonymity – and we owe them and ourselves reclaimed values and aspirations for what this land should offer two peoples destined to live together.
Harriet Gimpel
January 29, 2026
Born and raised in Philadelphia, earned a B.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University in 1980, followed by an M.A. in Political Science from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Harriet has worked in the non-profit world throughout her career. She is a freelance translator and editor, writes poetry in Hebrew and essays in English, and continues to work for NGOs committed to human rights and democracy.