Shiri Bibas’s family confirmed on Friday a body released by militant outfit Hamas overnight was of the Israeli mother whose two young sons also died in captivity.
Earlier, the Palestinian group had said Bibas’s remains were returned to Israel with those of her sons and another hostage on Thursday. However, tests conducted to confirm the identities of the bodies found that the remains said to be those of Shiri Bibas were that of an unidentified Palestinian woman instead.
The Bibas family had become international symbol of Israel’s pain following the Hamas attack that triggered the war in October 2023.
The image of Shiri Bibas, taken from a video during the militant group’s October 7, 2023, attack, remains one of the most haunting memory of that day. A look of terror on her face with her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, held close to her as armed militants took them away to Gaza.
The release of the wrong remains was described as a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He vowed to avenge the Bibas’ death, furthering heightening the concerns across Israel and Gaza alike.
“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. 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,” Netanyahu had said.
However, late Friday, the Palestinian militants had said that they turned over the correct set of remains to the Red Cross, which then sent them to Israel for testing. The identification was confirmed early on Saturday.
Following this, Shiri Bibas was identified by the Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine and her family issued a statement saying, “Last night, our Shiri was returned home.”
Despite the rising tensions, Israel and Hamas continued with another round of exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday. The militant group is set to release six hostages at Rafah border to the Red Cross.
(with AP inputs)
