Hamas handed over the bodies of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, along with their mother Shiri Bibas and hostage Oded Lifschitz, on Thursday under the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Red Cross vehicles carried the four black coffins, each bearing a photo of the hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as "a very difficult day" for Israel. The bodies will undergo DNA testing for identification.
The Bibas family was abducted at Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Hamas initially claimed the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike, but their deaths were never confirmed, keeping hope alive in their community.
The remains will be taken to Israel's forensic institute for final identification before a formal announcement and funeral. This handover marks the first return of bodies under the current ceasefire agreement, which has held despite both sides accusing each other of breaches.
Negotiations for a second phase of the agreement, involving the return of 60 more hostages and the potential end of the war, are underway. However, disagreements over Gaza’s future governance and U.S. proposals for Palestinian resettlement complicate the situation.
Read next
20:40
Russia-USA
Hamas said on Saturday it had officially responded to a ceasefire plan put forward by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who represents President Donald Trump in Middle East diplomacy. The group said its reply includes a key demand: a complete end to the war.
08:22
Gaza
A breakthrough US plan for a Gaza ceasefire, involving a phased hostage-prisoner exchange and humanitarian aid, has gained traction as Hamas agrees to the proposal following Israel’s acceptance.
16:14
Israel has approved 22 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, triggering sharp backlash from Palestinians and warnings from international allies.
01:33
Yemen’s Houthi group has vowed a “hot summer” for Israel after a missile strike on Sanaa’s airport destroyed a civilian plane and disrupted operations.
11:32
French President Emmanuel Macron has reiterated his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, backing the recognition of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment