An Israeli delegation led by the government’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, held talks in Cairo on Thursday with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in an effort to recover the body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last hostage still in Gaza, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The delegation—sent on the instruction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—included officials from the IDF, the Shin Bet security service and the Mossad. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the sides agreed to “focus on an intensive and immediate effort” to bring the mission regarding the hostages and missing to full completion.
Israeli officials say they have a partial indication of Gvili’s location in central Gaza, though the intelligence remains imprecise. They cautioned that locating him may take time and require complex coordination on the ground. For now, Israel is urging the mediators to apply maximum pressure on the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which officials say could be “making a far more serious effort” to find Gvili.
The talks in Cairo came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said the second phase of his Gaza plan is “going to happen soon.”
Despite Trump’s optimism, Israeli officials say Jerusalem will not move to Phase II of the U.S. plan without Gvili’s return for burial. They acknowledged growing pressure from Washington but emphasized that the hostage file remains decisive.
“Motivation is what matters now,” one Israeli official said. “Hamas could be conducting far more intensive searches. The mediators have pushed them hard, and we believe that will continue.” Officials said Israel is prepared to provide equipment such as tractors or, if directed, conduct searches itself in areas it does not currently control.
Netanyahu and Trump spoke earlier this week, and the Prime Minister’s Office said Trump invited Netanyahu to the White House “soon,” likely later this month. The leaders also discussed Netanyahu’s request for a presidential pardon, with Israeli officials saying Trump expressed “strong personal support.” At the same time, advisers around Trump have signaled frustration with Israel’s reluctance to advance parts of the U.S. regional plan.
The meeting, when it occurs, is expected to come as tensions rise on multiple fronts: a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, stalled efforts to neutralize Hamas’ remaining capabilities and continued difficulty recruiting an international stabilization force. Trump is expected to press Netanyahu to move into Phase II even if Gvili has not yet been recovered. Israel maintains that it will not proceed without bringing him home.