Physique returned from Gaza will not be Bibas mom, Israeli army says

One in every of 4 our bodies returned from Gaza to Israel on Thursday will not be hostage Shiri Bibas, as claimed by Hamas, the Israeli army mentioned.

The information that Shiri Bibas, 33, and her two sons, Ariel and Kfie, who would now be aged 5 and two, had been lifeless triggered an outpouring of grief in Israel.

The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) has knowledgeable the Bibas household that the our bodies of her sons have been recognized after their stays got to Israel by Hamas on Thursday.

However the third physique was not that of their mom, the IDF says.

Hamas has not but commented on Israel’s declare.

“Through the identification course of, it was decided that the extra physique acquired will not be that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was discovered for some other hostage. That is an nameless, unidentified physique,” the IDF posted on X.

“This can be a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist group, which is obligated beneath the settlement to return 4 deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas return Shiri dwelling together with all our hostages.”

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas had been aged 32, 4 and 9 months once they had been kidnapped in the course of the Hamas assaults on Israel on 7 October 2023.

The youngsters’s father Yarden Bibas, 34, was launched by Hamas on 1 February.

Israel has confirmed that the fourth physique returned on Thursday was that of veteran peace activist, Oded Lifshitz.

The discharge of hostages’ our bodies was agreed as a part of the ceasefire deal which got here into impact on 19 January. Israel has confirmed there will probably be eight.

The 2 sides agreed to trade 33 hostages for about 1,900 prisoners by the tip of the primary six weeks of the ceasefire.

Talks on progressing to the following part of the deal – beneath which the remaining dwelling hostages could be launched and the battle would finish completely – had been resulting from begin earlier this month however haven’t but begun.

Twenty-eight hostages and greater than 1,000 prisoners have up to now been exchanged.

Sixty-six hostages taken on 7 October are nonetheless being held in Gaza. Three different hostages, taken greater than a decade in the past, are additionally being held. About half of all of the hostages nonetheless in Gaza are believed to be alive.

About 1,200 individuals – largely civilians – had been killed within the Hamas assaults on 7 October 2023 and 251 others taken again to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched a large army marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in response, which has killed a minimum of 48,297 Palestinians – primarily civilians – in line with the Hamas-run well being ministry.