Operation "Courageous Heart"

Tikkun Global

Jerusalem, Israel

Ron G'vili is a major in an IDF commando unit. On October 7, 2023, at the outbreak of the invasion in Israel, Ron rushed to the frontlines to fight. There he was captured and subsequently murdered by the Jihadist terrorists. 

This week his body was rescued by the IDF in an operation called, "Courageous Heart," which took several months in the planning. Its execution involved hundreds of soldiers, doctors, engineers, religious workers, etc. 

Recently, Israel's general security captured a member of Islamic Jihad, Muhammed Azam, who had been one of Major G'vili's abductors and murderers. Under interrogation, he revealed where the body was located. Under pressure from the USA and with the promise of the partial opening of the Rafiah border, Hamas affirmed the location. 

Apparently, the corpse had been moved a number of times in order to prevent Israel from finding it. Hamas knew at all times where the body was located. The section of the Darj Tophakh cemetery, near Sajaeiya, had 250 graves. Soldiers were brought in to protect the workers, engineering corps members dug up the graves, over 20 dentists checked the teeth of the corpses until identification could be made. After 24 hours of non-stop work, they located the body and evacuated.

The return of the body has tremendous emotional and moral significance to Israelis, in a way that might be incomprehensible to others. 

As most Israelis have a general belief in the resurrection of the dead, but not the specific faith connected to the resurrection of Yeshua, the hope in a resurrection demands protecting the corpses of loved ones. (Thus, the importance of proper burial among our patriarchs, including the body of Jacob and the bones of Joseph taken out ot Egypt.)

There is also a respect for the memory and souls of dead loved ones. Unless there are a corpse and burial ceremony, the family feels incomplete. 

In modern Israel, there is an even greater emotional significance: the commitment of the IDF never to abandon any soldier at any time, no matter what the cost, how much effort, how long it takes, and not even whether the soldier is dead or alive. We will never rest until you are home. 

This type of mutual commitment forms the backbone of the courage of the Israeli soldiers. We are all here for one another, until the end. 

Israel had already received back all our living hostages, and all but ONE of the dead hostages. Perhaps you might think that was enough. No. No one was satisfied. The job was not done. This week the politicians, the news reporters, and the families of all the hostages finally took off their yellow "remember" ribbon. 

843 days. Ron was home. The job was done. The covenant had been kept. 

It was said of Major G'vili: He was the first one in, and the last one to return. 

The feeling of togetherness as a people was felt by all, across the political and religious spectrum. During the burial ceremony, his dad said, "It was always important to Ron to be a uniting factor for the people of Israel. Here he has done it. We are all one because of his heroism. I don't know how he did it. I'm proud of you, my son."