From the Liveblog of
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Friday gathering planned for final hostage Ran Gvili at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
A Friday afternoon gathering for Ran Gvili, the fallen police officer whose body is the last one remaining in Gaza, will take place for the second week in a row at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.
Gvili’s body is assumed to be held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The terror group said Tuesday in a statement that it was no longer holding any captives. Israeli officials claim that the terror group has information relating to the location of Gvili’s body.
The Kabbalat Shabbat gathering at Hostages Square is called “Until Rani Returns,” and it is meant to usher in the Sabbath and call for Gvili’s return.
It will be hosted by the Kibbutz Movement and led by the members of Kibbutz Ma’ale HaHamisha, located outside Jerusalem.
The Kabbalat Shabbat gatherings have been held on most Friday afternoons since the start of the war, hosted by the various kibbutz communities in the south. They are now the main focal point for the struggle for the return of Ran Gvili’s body, given the end of the Saturday night Hostages Square rallies.
Participating in the Friday afternoon event will be Itzik Gvili, Ran Gvili’s father, and Ruby Chen, the bereaved father of Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, whose body was returned to Israel from Gaza on November 5.
Tomorrow, given the expected inclement weather, Kabbalat Shabbat will take place in the lobby of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, whose plaza has been renamed Hostages Square.
The Times of Israel Community.