Hamas releases remains of captive Shiri Bibas after ‘mix-up of bodies’

The Bibas family in Israel has confirmed that Hamas has returned the remains of Shiri Bibas. This comes a day after the organization announced it had returned an unidentified body. The return of Shiri Bibas's remains brings a somber resolution to a period of intense grief and uncertainty for her family.

Hamas released Bibas's remains on Friday. This followed a misidentification of her identity during a previous handover, which sparked anger from the Israeli government and threatened the fragile ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Nir Oz, the Kibbutz where Bibas resided, also confirmed her identity on Saturday, just hours before the seventh exchange of captives under the ceasefire agreement. The careful process of identification highlights the sensitivity of the situation.

The Bibas family released a statement on Saturday, stating: "This morning we received the most worrying news after the identification procedures at the forensic institute. Our Shiri was murdered during her captivity and has now returned to rest with her sons, husband, sisters and all her family." However, the family stated that the Israeli government had not provided any details regarding the circumstances leading to the deaths of Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel. The family's grief is compounded by the lack of information surrounding the tragic events.

Hamas had agreed to hand over the remains of Bibas and her two young sons, along with the remains of a fourth captive, under the ceasefire agreement. This ceasefire had paused fighting in Gaza since last month. Hamas claimed that the children and their mother died in an Israeli airstrike in November 2023. Four bodies were delivered, but Israel later stated that one of the remains did not belong to the older Bibas. The conflicting accounts surrounding their deaths underscore the complexities and sensitivities of the conflict.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "ensure that Hamas pays the full price for violating the ceasefire agreement." Hamas later admitted that "there may have been a mistake or a mix-up of remains," blaming it on Israeli bombing of the area, which resulted in numerous deaths. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, stated that "unfortunate mistakes" could happen, especially since Israeli bombing mixed the remains of Israeli captives and Palestinians, with thousands of Palestinians still buried under rubble due to continued Israeli bombardment. The accusations and counter-accusations highlight the deep distrust between the two sides.

"We confirm that retaining any remains or not complying with the covenants and agreements we signed is not in line with our values or interests," he said in a statement. Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, stated that Netanyahu "bears full responsibility for killing her and her children." The blame game further complicates efforts to achieve a lasting peace.

The incident highlights the fragility of the ceasefire agreement reached last month with US support and the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Six living captives are expected to be released on Saturday in exchange for 602 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, most of whom are being held without charge or trial. Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire are expected to begin in the coming days. The success of these negotiations is crucial for maintaining the fragile peace and preventing further loss of life.