Israeli mother’s remains returned after initial misidentification
The family of Shiri Bibas confirmed on Friday that the body returned by Hamas overnight belonged to the Israeli mother who, along with her two young sons, died in captivity.
Initially, Hamas claimed to have handed over Bibas’s remains along with those of her children and another hostage. However, forensic tests revealed that the remains first presented as Bibas’s were, in fact, those of an unidentified Palestinian woman.
The Bibas family had become a symbol of Israel’s suffering following the October 2023 Hamas attack, which led to the ongoing war.
A haunting image of captivity
One of the most enduring images from that day remains a video of Shiri Bibas clutching her sons, Ariel and Kfir, as they were forcibly taken to Gaza by armed militants. The haunting expression of terror on her face became an international symbol of the brutality of the attack.
Israeli outrage over misidentification
The Israeli government condemned the initial release of the wrong remains, calling it a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation, further escalating concerns across both Israel and Gaza.
“We will work with determination to bring Shiri home together with all our hostages — both living and dead — and ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and malicious violation of the agreement,” Netanyahu stated.
“The sacred memory of Oded Lifshitz and Ariel and Kfir Bibas will be forever enshrined in the heart of the nation. May God avenge their blood. And so we will avenge.”
Final confirmation and return of remains
Late Friday, Hamas claimed that the correct remains had been turned over to the Red Cross, which subsequently transferred them to Israel for further examination.
Early Saturday, Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine officially identified the remains as those of Shiri Bibas. Her family later released a brief statement, saying:
“Last night, our Shiri was returned home.”
Prisoner and hostage exchange continues
Despite heightened tensions, both Israel and Hamas proceeded with another round of hostage-for-prisoner exchanges on Saturday. The militant group is set to release six Israeli hostages at the Rafah border, where they will be transferred to the Red Cross for safe passage back to Israel.
