Hamas had handed over the bodies of 32-year-old Shiri Bibas and her children, 4-year-old Ariel Bibas and 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, as well as 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, who were killed in Israeli airstrikes within the framework of the first phase of the cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip yesterday to the Red Cross. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced today that the identity of the body claimed to be that of Shiri Bibas could not be confirmed. Following the IDF, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement. Netanyahu stated that they would act resolutely to have Shiri's body brought home with the other captives, and said, "We will ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement, and for the wrong delivery of Bibas's body."
Netanyahu accused Hamas of acting cynically by placing the body of a Palestinian woman in the coffin instead of Shiri Bibas, who was kidnapped with her two sons and husband Yarden on October 7, 2023.
Hamas: "We demand the return of the body, which they claim belongs to a Palestinian woman."
In a written statement made by Hamas, it was stated that "As Hamas, we emphasize our full commitment to all our obligations. We have proven this with our behavior in the last few days. We have received Israel's allegations from the mediator brothers, we will examine these allegations very seriously and will announce the results clearly."
It was stated that the lifeless body of Shiri Bibas may have been mixed with the Palestinians who lost their lives at the same point during the Israeli attack, and that "We draw attention to the possibility that the bodies may have been mixed as a result of the bombing of the place where the family was with other Palestinians by the occupation forces. We will inform the mediator brothers of the results of the examination conducted by us. At the same time, we demand the return of the body that the occupation claims belongs to a Palestinian woman killed in the bombardment."
