Body returned from Gaza is not Bibas mother, Israeli military says

The Israeli military stated on Thursday that one of the four bodies returned from Gaza to Israel, which Hamas claimed were those of hostages, was not that of Shiri Bibas. Previously, news of the deaths of 33-year-old Shiri Bibas and her two sons, five-year-old Ariel and two-year-old Kfir, had sparked immense grief in Israel. The confirmation that at least one of the bodies was not Shiri Bibas has only added to the family's anguish and uncertainty.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has notified the Bibas family that the identity of her son's remains has been confirmed after Hamas handed them over to Israel on Thursday. However, the IDF stated that the third body was not that of their mother. The IDF has demanded the return of Shiri Bibas's body, as well as the remaining hostages, urging Hamas to fulfill its obligations.

The IDF posted on X, stating: "During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received was not that of Shiri Bibas, nor did it match any other hostage. It is an unidentified body. This is an extremely serious violation by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return the bodies of four deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas send Shiri and all our hostages home." Hamas has not yet commented on Israel's claims, leaving the situation unresolved.

Based on intelligence and forensic investigation findings, the IDF stated that the two children were "brutally murdered by terrorists during their captivity in November 2023." Hamas had claimed that the boys and their mother were killed in Israeli bombings. Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas were 32 years old, 4 years old, and 9 months old, respectively, when they were kidnapped during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The children's father, Yarden Bibas, was released by Hamas on February 1. The conflicting narratives surrounding their deaths underscore the complexities of the situation.

Israel has confirmed that the fourth body returned on Thursday was that of veteran peace activist, Odette Lifshitz. The release of hostages' remains is part of a ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19. Israel has confirmed that eight bodies will be returned in total. The parties agreed to exchange 33 hostages and approximately 1,900 prisoners before the end of the first six weeks of the ceasefire. Negotiations on advancing the next phase of the agreement—namely, the release of the remaining living hostages and a permanent end to the war—were scheduled to begin earlier this month but have not yet commenced. Currently, 28 hostages and over 1,000 prisoners have been exchanged, with the fate of others still uncertain.

Sixty-six hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023, remain held in Gaza. Three additional hostages kidnapped more than a decade ago are also being held. It is believed that approximately half of all the hostages still held in Gaza are alive. In the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, approximately 1,200 people (mostly civilians) were killed, and another 251 were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel subsequently launched a large-scale military operation against Hamas, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in the deaths of at least 48,297 Palestinians, mostly civilians. The ongoing conflict continues to claim lives and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the region.