Ran Gvili, Z”l. (Hostage and Missing Families Forum).
Police officer Ran Gvili was among the first to rush out on the morning of October 7, to defend one of the communities near the Gaza border. That same day, he was murdered and abducted.
Yesterday, his body was identified in a mass grave containing hundreds of Hamas operatives’ bodies. In a life-threatening operation, and with the assistance of forensic dentists, his was identified, and returned to Israel.
Against the backdrop of everything we have endured over the past two and a half years, this story might at first seem marginal. But it is not. First and foremost, because whether alive or dead, Israel was not going to give up on his burial, or live with the painful uncertainty that maybe he is still alive; maybe he wasn’t murdered.
The tough reality we live in turned us into experts in that sense. For many years, we had a false hope surrounding the fate of navigator Ron Arad, and for 12 long years we waited for the return of Hadar Goldin’s body from Gaza (he was abducted long before this war even started). So it was clear that the Israeli society could not bear another similar story, of another soldier or civilian who would never be brought home for burial.
That is what mobilized the IDF to carry out Operation “Brave Heart”, in order to locate yesterday Ran Gvili’s remains and bring him home. The tears that overwhelmed the soldiers who finally found his body in the sands of Gaza, and the spontaneous singing they burst into – “Ani Ma’amin” (I Believe) in the coming of the Messiah, and even if he tarries, I will still wait” – say everything.
Emotional moments: IDF soldiers burst into singing (Video Credit: IDF)
Until Ran’s body was found, the dozens of hostages who survived and returned to Israel since the war began were still in full mobilization mode. Their time and energy were mostly devoted to meetings with diplomats and world leaders, hoping to spark movement of any kind towards bringing the last hostage back; They met with media personnel and led protests – all in the effort to bring him home. Until yesterday, they were unable to even begin their own psychological recovery. Now they can finally slow down, breathe deeply, and begin to mourn and process the hell they have been through.
In a deep psychological and emotional sense, the war ended yesterday. The father of Hadar Goldin, who was abducted in August 2014 and whose body was returned only weeks ago, said yesterday: “Up until now, we were running. We can finally start walking.”
At the Knesset, the president’s house, across television programs, the same gesture repeated itself again and again yesterday: hosts and interviewees removed the pin with the yellow ribbon they had worn for long months (see Ambassador Huckabee, PM Netanyahu, and Israeli President Herzog remove the pin).
In the hostages’ square in Tel Aviv there is a stopwatch, counting the days, hours, minutes and seconds since October 7. Today it stopped – at 843 days.
In a few days, I’m heading north for several weeks. For a long time now, I’ve felt the need to slow down, soften my heart and let it awaken fully, wait on God, breathe different air, and write what has been capturing my heart for long months. At last, I’ll be able to do that, well… unless Trump and Iran decide to disrupt my plans and make me stay home.
Where is this all heading? What is going to happen next in this region? Only God knows. But amid the dramatic changes reshaping the world, and especially the Middle East, for a little while I am going to cuddle in that tender feeling that I had not had in long months and tell myself again and again: a horrific circle finally came to closure.
I wrote this post to bring you somewhat into a small yet expansive place within the soul of a nation that is learning to walk again. Just wanted to take you on a short journey inside ourselves and say that, in the end, the bottom line says: the people of Israel live! Am Israel Chai!
My Shabbats’ routine is repeating itself these days: I am usually glued to the screen for long hours, waiting for the next photo or update to appear.
It begins in the morning, with the setup of a staged scene in Gaza, designed by Hamas to project a sense of control. Banners with Hebrew slogans – often with typos – hung around the stage. Last week, the set included a picture of a fist with six (!) fingers, interesting when you recall the description of some Philistine warriors in 2 Samuel 21:18-22. Was this simply a mistake of a careless artist, or an intentional act?
Photo: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Then starts a long wait until the white Hamas vehicles enter the frame. On our end we hold our breath. The door finally opens, sometimes after agonizing, endless minutes.
The Israeli media scrambles to identify which of the kidnapped is inside. Do they look like themselves? Are they on their feet? So far, yes… A brief sigh of relief. We can breathe.
Tears fill everyone’s eyes, including our news anchors, who by now are so familiar with the families and the story of each of those kidnapped. Some of these reporters were the only people families managed to reach on the phone on October 7th. They were calling from closets, bedrooms, or so-called safe rooms, when neither our army nor the police knew what to do.
The next phase of the Hamas horror show starts. They are masters in squeezing every possible opportunity to film and exploit the kidnapped, forcing them to express gratitude to their captors. One more opportunity for humiliation they are not going to miss.
At last, the kidnapped are handed over to the Red Cross. We endure another long wait… 30… 40 minutes… sometimes even an hour… until the Red Cross’ vans reach the IDF’s. Only then the Israeli media finally confirms: They are in Israeli hands.
An Empty Bosom
The cameras shift back and forth to the homes of those who are released that day, capturing their families oscillating between tears, joy, and fear. In these moments I usually pray that these relatives will lift their eyes to God. That they will thank Him, and catch a glimpse of His Face.
I also pray for the fabric of our national soul – for Israel the widow, who is longing and waiting to embrace her returning broken children. I pray that this moment will spark a national realization, of how desperately we need our Husband, how we are unable to fully protect our people on our own. The IDF and our leaders are simply not enough. We need Someone higher, greater (and no, I am not referring here to President Trump).
Next we wait for the IDF vehicles to cross the Re’im border point with Gaza, with the returning captives inside. Knowing they have been tormented by men all these months, most of them will be treated by female officers, doctors and nurses at the beginning. So a high-ranked female officer meets them, and assures them that they are home, that they are safe.
They undergo initial medical assessments – do they need emergency treatment? Should they be rushed by ambulance to the nearest hospital or can they be flown to a better-equipped facility in central Israel?
Then they shower. Shave, if they want to. And at last, they will embrace a loved one. This is the image we all anticipate. When that moment finally airs, it shatters us to pieces.
I think of the bosoms of the mothers, fathers, children, who have been empty and aching since October 2023, longing for this moment. They just want to take a deep look into the eyes of the kidnapped, to touch their skin, smell them, check if they are sane, and assure them that they will never leave them again, that they are safe now, that they will be all right.
Sagui Dekel-Chen reunites with his wife and parents. Watch how his dad hugs and kisses him… makes me wonder how God feels when one of His children is set free from bondage and comes back home
At this point I pray for God’s longing to be fulfilled, for His bosom to be filled with His children, that we will all run to His embrace. These moments give me a glimpse into centuries of pain and yearning that had filled our Abba’s heart towards His people. We, too, have been kidnapped – by our own ignorance and terrible choices.
Lord, turn our faces to You. Turn Your Face toward us. Show us Your longing and mercy. Forgive us, Abba, for failing to see the deep spiritual parallels in this nightmare. Have mercy on us, not according to what we deserve, but according to Your covenant with us.
This entire horror show goes on for six or seven hours. Through it all, millions here endure this same emotional roller coaster together. It creates a profound sense of solidarity, simply because we are all experiencing the same extreme emotions, even if we do not know each other.
For me, this is another opportunity to dive into the depths of our national soul, which is broken, yet full of hope. Mourning, yet rejoicing. Helpless, yet active. Worried, yet determined.
How Can This Be?
For months, our government has assured us that Hamas is weakening. They probably are, yet, there they stand – uniformed, armed, orchestrating the spectacle. How can that be? What will it take to finally get them our of the picture?
Hamas is not just an entity. It’s an ideology. An evil one, birthed in the pits and tunnels of hell. Changing or annihilating it requires long-term education and relentless efforts. It takes a different level of war. Such a sobering reality.
With Trump’s unprecedented declarations, that might happen. Perhaps the education system in Gaza will eventually lead to a generation that won’t be brain-washed. Hamas’ ideology is still around, but I choose to remember that Zionism has the upper hand. Simply because it is not just one more ideology. It’s not just a modern political movement. Zion is God’s throne. It’s a physical place with an eternal plan that was birthed in Heaven, and this is the one that will prevail.
No wonder most of the world opposes it.
The Restoration Starts
Kibbutz Be’eri is one of those who were pogromed on that day. It was the biggest in the region, with about 1,200 members. On October 7th, early 10% (101 members) were butchered. 31 kidnapped, including kids.
The surviving community moved to a hosting kibbutz in the region, who quickly built a new neighborhood for them, so they would still be together and support each other. Today, nearly 15 months later, 21 babies have been born in that community. In this season of Tu Bishvat – the Israeli annual day of tree-planting and a symbol of renewal and restoration – I rejoice as once more the enemy tried to annihilate us and sow chaos in this land, yet we are multiplying, and taking deep roots.
Four of the Be’ri babies born since October 7th (Picture credit: Hanoch Daum)
Small Stories That Tell The Big One
One of the first things Gadi Moses, 80, said on the day of his release from Hamas captivity, was: “I will do everything I can to rehabilitate my kibbutz.” Since he was discharged from the hospital a few days ago, he is constantly searching for nature, wanting to touch the soil, breathe the air of Israel again and focus on the future.
Gadi says he did not get sick even once during captivity. His captor, however, fell ill at some point, and Gadi found himself taking care of him. He could have taken his captor’s weapon and escape, but he didn’t know where he was or who would find him outside. So, he stayed and even gave a massage… to his captor.
Sagui’s third daughter was born on his birthday, while he was in Hamas’ tunnels. On Saturday he met her for the first time, and heard her name – Shachar, meaning Dawn, in hope of a dawn of a new day.
Ya’ir is a devout fan of the Be’er Sheva soccer team. Shortly after his release, when he climbed up the aircraft that would take him to the hospital, he asked the pilot to fly over the stadium.
It happened that a soccer match was taking place in the stadium at that time. As the helicopter hovered over, you can imagine the shouts of joy of the spectators and players.
Ya’ir wrapped the Israeli flag around him while on the helicopter. That is the image he wanted everyone to remember when he stepped off the military helicopter onto the hospital’s landing pad.
Yes, they are angry at what they had to endure. That is obvious and expected. But neither of them thinks of revenge or hatred. They just want to see the rest of the kidnapped make it back home, their families healed and their communities restored.
During his previous term, President Trump proclaimed that he recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It led to some people here calling him “Cyrus the Second.”
This current term Trump starts with a surprising statement regarding Gaza. Completely out of the box. Beyond what even the far-right in Israel had imagined. According to Trump, America will take responsibility for the evacuation and reconstruction of Gaza.
An AI depiction of what signage leading to the new Gaza strip may look like – Holit and Sufa are two of the Kibutzim in the Gaza Strip that were attacked on October 7th
Shortly after the war broke out on October 2023, and after the fog that enveloped my mind cleared enough to enable me to connect a few dots together, I wanted to understand what Gaza’s purpose is, what it was originally destined for in God’s plan.
The Answers I Was Looking For
Once the IDF had set the goal of destroying Hamas, I wondered what did that mean for Gaza and its inhabitants. After all, not everyone who lives in that strip is a member of Hamas. I wondered if their fate tied to that of Hamas terrorists, and what God had to say about them.
I delved into my Bible to find some answers to these troubling questions. I examined all the verses related to Gaza and its surrounding area, in an attempt to ascertain its original purpose and how to pray for this destiny to be fulfilled.
The Future of Gaza and Philistia – A Short Summary
God promised that after gathering the outcasts of Israel, He would put an end to the enmity between Judah and Ephraim, and that together they would conquer that Philistine territory (Is. 11:13-14).
Jeremiah prophesied that the Philistines would drink from the cup of God’s wrath (25:15) until they would fall, never to rise again because of the sword He will send among them (v. 27).
Ezekiel declared that God would stretch out His hand against the Philistines, cutting them off and bringing a great vengeance upon them (25:17). Amos (1:8), Obadiah (v. 19), and Zephaniah (2:4-5) prophesied the destruction of Gaza by fire that would consume its magnificent houses and walls.
Zephaniah further stated that the house of Judah would settle where the Philistines once lived (2:6-7). Notice the phrase “…when I return your captives” (end of Zep. 3:20). This is a triple promise: God will restore the captives, return them to their land, and most importantly, will bring them back to Himself. In Hebrew, all these motifs are encompassed in this short prophecy.
Zechariah Vs. Trump
The prophecy I want to elaborate is Zechariah’s (9:1-8). It became my constant declaration in the past months. When I first studied it, on November 2023, Israel did not fight in Lebanon yet, Assad was still on the throne in Syria, and Sinwar was alive. Today this prophecy seems so timely and accurate, knowing what took place to all the regions mentioned in this portion.
Zechariah prophesied that the cities of the Philistines (Gaza Atrip) will witness the destruction that God will bring upon Lebanon and Syria. Back then I thought it’s the opposite, as Lebanon and Syria were watching what was happening in Gaza. But so much had happened since, and that makes this prophecy so accurate.
Zechariah said that they will be filled with fear and shame. The senior leader of Gaza will perish. God will cut off their pride, and will remove their thirst for blood and the abominations from between their teeth. Yes, it’s God who is going to put an end to the monstrous regime, not our forces and leaders, not even Trump.
What excites me the most is the following promises: whoever will remain there will belong to God and will be like “a leader” or “a champion in Judah.”
God goes on and promises that He will encamp around His house right there, just like a military force, and will protect it from every passerby, so that no oppressor will ever pass through or strike them again (vs. 8).
All these have been promised by the very God whose words are always Yes and Amen. Can He use Trump for that? Can Gaza be cleansed and even become an Altar to the God of Israel, the biggest Christian Center in the Middle East, led by mighty people who are like the leaders and champions of Judah? Looks like it is possible more than ever before, and Zechariah provides us with great and accurate language to combine in our prayers for that miserable region.
Orna Grinman | Ot OoMofet Ministries | A Sign and Example 