ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, the final Gaza hostage, was accompanied by thousands lining the streets as his coffin headed for burial in Meitar, his Negev hometown, on Wednesday.

Israeli Police officers and IDF soldiers raise their hands in respect to St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body procession in Meitar, Negev. January 28.Credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL

Gvili's body was returned to Israel on Monday as part of Operation Brave Heart.

Car containing St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body passes through honor procession in the way to his funeral in Meitar, Negev. January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)

The IDF found his remains at around 2:00 p.m. at al-Batesh cemetery in northern Gaza.

The car bringing up the body of the deceased hostage, St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili arrives in Meitar, Gvili's hometown city in the Negev. January 28. Credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL

Gvili was killed on October 7, 2023. That day, after evacuating survivors of the Nova massacre to safety, Gvili and his comrades returned to Alumim to continue the fight against the dozens of terrorists who attempted to conquer the kibbutz.

St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's family in the funeral procession of the deceased hostage in his Negev hometown, Meitar. January 28.
St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's family in the funeral procession of the deceased hostage in his Negev hometown, Meitar. January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)
Wounded and surrounded, Gvili was overpowered by Hamas terrorists and was subsequently murdered.
 
Israelis pay their respects as the funeral procession of Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage from Gaza, makes its way to Gvili's Negev hometown of Meitar on January 28.
Israelis pay their respects as the funeral procession of Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage from Gaza, makes its way to Gvili's Negev hometown of Meitar on January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)

Born in Meitar, a town in southern Israel, Ran was the son of Talik and Itzik Gvili, and the younger brother of Omri and Shira Gvili.

Israelis celebrate the arrival of St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body to his funeral procession in Meitar, Negev. January 28.
Israelis celebrate the arrival of St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili's body to his funeral procession in Meitar, Negev. January 28. (credit: Yossi Zeliger/TPS-IL)
Leo Feierberg Better contributed to this report.