Hamas has returned the bodies of four hostages to Israel, marking a “heart-wrenching day, a day of grief,” as described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The remains are reported to include Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, who were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023 attacks. Kfir was only nine months old at the time. The fourth body belongs to Oded Lifschitz, an 83-year-old peace activist and great-grandfather, also abducted from the same area.
The handover took place in Khan Younis and was facilitated by the Red Cross. Hamas militants displayed the four coffins, draped with messages blaming Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for the deaths. According to Hamas, Bibas and her children died during an Israeli bombardment in Gaza in November 2023, while Lifschitz was killed in a separate Israeli strike. However, Israel has not officially confirmed their deaths.
Following the handover, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement, confirming the remains’ return and the identification process that would follow. The families of the deceased were informed, and the public was urged to respect their privacy.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed that the bodies had arrived in Israel and would undergo identification in Tel Aviv. The convoy was met by Israelis lining the highways as it made its way north. The identification process could take some time, depending on the condition of the bodies. This marks the first time Hamas has returned the bodies of dead hostages during the ongoing ceasefire.