The long, agonizing wait is over. The Israeli military has recovered the remains of Ran Gvili, the final hostage held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks, closing a painful chapter and paving the way for the next phase of the Trump administration's ceasefire plan.

Gvili, a 24-year-old police officer, was killed defending his community during the initial assault. His body was held as a macabre bargaining chip for over two years. "With this, all hostages have been returned," the IDF declared, a statement that carries the weight of a nation's collective trauma.

The Trump Doctrine in Action

The recovery fulfills a key condition of the US-brokered truce. Now, the focus shifts to Phase Two: the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of a pulverized Gaza. Trump’s envoy has called it a blueprint for "catastrophic success," a paradoxical phrase that hints at the immense challenges ahead.

For the Global South, including Kenya, the resolution offers a glimmer of hope that protracted conflicts can be de-escalated. Kenya, which has suffered its own hostage crises at the hands of terrorists, understands the visceral need to bring every citizen home.

• The Human Cost: Gvili was injured in a motorcycle accident but put on his uniform to fight when the attack began. His story is one of duty until death.
• The Geopolitics: The return of the body removes the last emotional roadblock for Israel. Netanyahu can now claim a moral victory, while Hamas attempts to survive the coming demilitarization process.

Peace or Pause?

As Gvili is laid to rest, the guns in Gaza are silent, but the hatred remains. The Trump plan is ambitious, envisioning a new Middle East. But as history shows, peace in the Holy Land is often just an intermission between wars.