- Hamas to return four hostage bodies, including Bibas family and peace activist Oded Lifshitz.
- Israel mourns as forensic confirmation is awaited amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
- Red Cross calls for dignified handover, condemning Hamas’s past hostage release methods.
Hamas is set to transfer to Israel the bodies of four hostages who were taken alive during the 7 October 2023 attack.
Among them are Shiri Bibas, 33, and her two young sons, including nine-month-old Kfir, whose fate has captivated Israel since their capture. The fourth body is that of Oded Lifshitz, 84, a veteran peace activist. This marks the first time Hamas will return deceased hostages since the ceasefire began last month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the news as heartbreaking, stating, “The heart of the entire nation is torn,” and denouncing Hamas as “monsters.” Meanwhile, six living hostages are scheduled for release on Saturday.
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The announcement—not yet officially confirmed by the Israeli government—has sparked national grief, with many mourning the Bibas family. However, Israel has stated it will only confirm the identities of the deceased after forensic examinations. The Bibas family in Israel expressed anguish, saying, “Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over.”
The Red Cross, which has overseen previous hostage releases, has called for a dignified transfer of the bodies, condemning any degrading treatment during release operations. This follows criticism of Hamas’s handling of hostage handovers, where captives were previously made to stand before crowds of spectators before being transferred to Red Cross officials.
The cause of death for Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel Bibas remains unknown. Hamas previously claimed in November 2023 that they died in an Israeli airstrike, but provided no evidence. At the time, Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz stated there was no confirmation of the claim. The Bibas family was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the 7 October attack, in which 1,200 people—mostly civilians—were killed, and 251 others abducted into Gaza.
In response, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Hamas, which has since killed at least 48,297 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
Yarden Bibas, 35, the husband and father of the Bibas family, was released on 1 February as part of an exchange involving 183 Palestinian prisoners.
Oded Lifshitz, a retired journalist, was also abducted from Nir Oz alongside his wife, Yocheved, who was freed two weeks later. He had been held by Islamic Jihad since his capture.
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The return of hostage remains was agreed upon as part of the ceasefire deal that began on 19 January, with Israel confirming that eight bodies would be transferred. Under the ceasefire agreement, 33 Israeli hostages were to be exchanged for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners within six weeks.
So far, 24 hostages and over 1,000 prisoners have been exchanged. However, negotiations for the next phase of the deal, which could lead to the release of all remaining living hostages and an end to the war, have not yet begun.
Currently, 70 hostages taken on 7 October remain in Gaza, along with three others abducted over a decade ago. About half of these hostages are believed to still be alive.
