Tel Aviv, Israel. A clock in a Tel Aviv square that became a focal point for calls to free hostages taken during the October 2023 Hamas attack will be turned off on Tuesday, 844 days after it began counting their captivity.
Clock shutdown follows announcement on last remaining hostage
The shutdown follows the Israeli military’s announcement on Monday that the body of the last remaining hostage had been found in Gaza. The military identified him as Ran Gvili, 24, an off-duty police officer recovering from an injury, who was killed fighting militants who infiltrated Israel during the 2023 attack.
Family reaction after recovery
Gvili’s mother, Talik, told reporters late on Monday after her son’s body was recovered that she thanked those who supported the family during the 27 months since the 2023 attack.
“We have a closure. Rani returned home an Israeli hero, really, an Israeli hero and we’re the most proud of him in the world,” she said.
National significance and war plan developments
In Israel, the return of the last hostage had been anticipated as a moment of national healing. The Hamas attack was described as the bloodiest killing of Jews since the Holocaust and was widely seen as the most traumatic event in the country’s history.
The development also completes a core aspect of the initial phase of President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war. Washington said the second stage, announced as having started earlier this month, includes the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah border with Egypt.
Awaiting reopening of Rafah crossing
Nour Daher, a 31-year-old Palestinian in Gaza, said he was waiting for the border to reopen so he could seek medical treatment for a heart defect outside the territory.
“I have the medical referral papers. I registered with the WHO (World Health Organization). Now I’m waiting for my name to appear on their lists,” he said. “Last time I checked, they told me they were waiting for a country willing to take my case.”
“I am hopeful my problem will finally end,” Daher said, describing near-daily bouts of severe palpitations.
Hostages Square gatherings
Since Oct. 7, 2023, thousands of Israelis have gathered almost every week in Tel Aviv at a place that came to be known as Hostages Square, calling for the release of all hostages in captivity.
What do you think the shutdown of the Hostages Square clock will mean for Israelis who have gathered there since October 2023?
