Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement after forensic analysis confirmed that one of the bodies returned from Gaza on Thursday was not that of Shiri Bibas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified three of the four bodies handed over as those of her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, aged five and two, along with peace activist Oded Lifschitz, 84. However, the fourth body was determined not to be Shiri or any other known hostage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of deliberately returning the body of a Gazan woman, calling it a "cruel and evil violation of the agreement."
Hamas also reaffirmed its claim that Shiri and her children were killed in an Israeli bombing, but Israeli officials disputed this, saying intelligence and forensic evidence showed that the boys had been "brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023."
Their abduction has deeply affected Israeli society, and news of their repatriated bodies has been met with an outpouring of grief.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) identified three of the four bodies handed over as those of her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, aged five and two, along with peace activist Oded Lifschitz, 84. However, the fourth body was determined not to be Shiri or any other known hostage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of deliberately returning the body of a Gazan woman, calling it a "cruel and evil violation of the agreement."
Hamas Responds to the Mix-Up
A Hamas spokesman, Ismail al-Thwabta, stated on Friday that Shiri's remains might have been mistakenly mixed with other bodies buried under rubble following an Israeli airstrike. The group told Reuters that it would investigate how the incorrect remains were sent to Israel.Hamas also reaffirmed its claim that Shiri and her children were killed in an Israeli bombing, but Israeli officials disputed this, saying intelligence and forensic evidence showed that the boys had been "brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023."
Calls for the Return of Shiri Bibas and Remaining Hostages
Israel has demanded that Hamas return Shiri Bibas, whether alive or deceased, along with the remaining hostages.Netanyahu vowed that Israel would take action to bring home all hostages—both living and dead—and ensure Hamas faces consequences for the violation.
Hamas Releases Names of Hostages to Be Freed
Shortly after the dispute, Hamas released a list of six hostages set for release on Saturday, including two individuals who have been held captive for over a decade.The Bibas Family: A Symbol of Grief in Israel
Shiri Bibas, along with her two sons, was kidnapped during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. She was 32 years old, while Ariel and Kfir were four years old and nine months old, respectively.Their abduction has deeply affected Israeli society, and news of their repatriated bodies has been met with an outpouring of grief.
