At Ran Gvili’s funeral, Netanyahu vows to dismantle Hamas, honor his legacy ‘for generations of fighters’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogizes fallen police officer Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the final hostage returned from Gaza, and declares that Israel is determined to achieve its remaining war aim of defeating Hamas and thus honor Ran’s legacy.

Israel has succeeded in “bringing all our brothers and sisters home,” Netanyahu says, receiving much applause from the crowd, before adding that “This is still not the final word.”

“We are determined… to dismantle Hamas, to dismantle the Strip — and that, too, we will achieve,” he says, to more applause.

He warns Israel’s enemies, saying, “Let all who think they will prevail over us know — look at Talik Gvili [Ran’s mother]: ‘It is not you who will defeat us. We will defeat you. We will overcome you.'”

Netanyahu hails Ran’s heroism on the day he fell in battle during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, invasion and massacre, when, “shot twice in his body, with his shoulder already injured, he defended Kibbutz Alumim and killed 14 accursed terrorists.”

“The exemplary fighting of Ran Gvili, until the final bullet — that combat will be remembered for generations,” he says.

He adds that the memory of Ran “will continue,” noting that the government approved a plan on Sunday to advance the establishment of a new community in the Negev “that will commemorate Ran.”

The planned community, to be called Renanim, will be built east of Beersheba and “will express in its name the magnitude of Ran’s contribution to Israel,” Netanyahu says.

He also says he is adopting another initiative to establish a pre-military academy in Ran’s name, that will prepare young soldiers for service in the police and YASAM units —” an academy that will instill his spirit and his legacy for generations of fighters.”