A clock in a Tel Aviv square that became a rallying point for Israelis demanding the release of hostages taken during the October 2023 Hamas attack was turned off on Tuesday, 844 days after it began counting their captivity.
The shutdown follows the discovery in Gaza of the body of the last remaining hostage, which was announced by the Israeli military on Monday.
Ran Gvili, 24, was an off-duty police officer recovering from an injury, who was killed fighting militants that infiltrated Israel during the 2023 attack.
Gvili's mother, Talik, speaking to reporters late on Monday, after her son's body was recovered, thanked those who had supported the family during the 27 months since the 2023 attack.
"We have closure. Rani returned home an Israeli hero, really, an Israeli hero and we're the most proud of him in the world," she said.
In Israel, the return of the last hostage had been anticipated as a moment of national healing.
It also completes a core aspect of the initial phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war. The second stage, which Washington announced had started earlier this month, includes the reopening of Gaza's Rafah border with Egypt.
Nour Daher, a 31-year-old Palestinian in Gaza, said that he was waiting for the border to reopen so he could seek medical treatment for a heart defect outside of the war-torn 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.
"I am hopeful my problem will finally end," said Daher, describing near-daily bouts of severe palpitations.
Families to gather for Tel Aviv ceremony
Ran Gvili’s sister, Shira, along with former hostages and family members, took part in a public ceremony in Tel Aviv as the clock was turned off, the Hostages and Families Forum said.
Gvili was shot while defending Kibbutz Alumim, a community in Israel's south near the border with Gaza. His body was taken to Gaza by militants from Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian militant group that joined the Hamas attack, according to Israeli officials.
Handing over all the remaining living and dead hostages was a core commitment of the first phase of the deal, though other parts have not been fulfilled.
It is not clear how the next stage will be implemented, which includes the reconstruction and demilitarisation of Gaza. The Israeli military remains in control of 53% of Gaza, with Hamas in control of the rest.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in the escalating Gulf conflict, warning that...
The Middle East conflict has entered a new phase, with Israel expanding its operations into southern Lebanon and tensions with Iran escalating.&nbs...
Imports of industrial goods into Kyrgyzstan surged in January 2026, driven by a construction boom and the modernisation of production capacity, wit...
Russia has expelled a British diplomat, accusing him of economic espionage in a move that further strains already tense relations between Moscow an...
Georgia’s Minister of Economy, Mariam Kvrivishvili, met UK Ambassador Gareth Edward Ward in Tbilisi on 27–28 March to discuss trade, in...
The Middle East conflict has entered a new phase, with Israel expanding its operations into southern Lebanon and tensions with Iran escalating. Analysts warn that the collapse of traditional deterrence and rising nuclear risks could trigger a global arms race.
The escalation of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran since 28 February 2026 has moved beyond a regional security crisis to become a systemic shock to the global economy and our pockets.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to deploy ground forces to seize Iran’s strategic oil hub of Kharg Island - an operation analysts say could be swift, but would expose U.S. troops to significant danger and potentially prolong, rather than shorten, the war.
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a potential global recession, with investors reacting to disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz and prolonged hostilities.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in the escalating Gulf conflict, warning that only he could prevent it from spreading further.
The Middle East conflict has entered a new phase, with Israel expanding its operations into southern Lebanon and tensions with Iran escalating. Analysts warn that the collapse of traditional deterrence and rising nuclear risks could trigger a global arms race.
Imports of industrial goods into Kyrgyzstan surged in January 2026, driven by a construction boom and the modernisation of production capacity, with China supplying $51.2 million in electrical equipment to become the country’s largest trading partner.
Georgia’s Minister of Economy, Mariam Kvrivishvili, met UK Ambassador Gareth Edward Ward in Tbilisi on 27–28 March to discuss trade, investment and transport links between Georgia and the United Kingdom.
Iran on Monday described U.S. proposals to end a month-long war in the Middle East as “unrealistic, illogical and excessive” and launched further missile strikes on Israel as oil prices continued to climb following Yemen’s Houthi entry into the conflict.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment