Hamas has reportedly given a body to the Red Cross, claiming it belongs to Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas. This comes after Israel conducted forensic tests on a body delivered earlier, which it claimed was not Shiri but someone else entirely.
The Israeli medical team is preparing to conduct another identification test on the new body. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are in touch with the Bibas family regarding the situation.
A senior Hamas official confirmed to the BBC that the body was handed over on Friday evening. Israel had previously accused Hamas of violating ceasefire terms when it was discovered that Shiri’s remains were not included in the Thursday transfer.
During recent exchanges, the bodies of Shiri’s two sons, Ariel and Kfir, were returned to Israel, along with another hostage named Oded Lifschitz. Hamas claims that the mother and children died due to Israeli airstrikes, although they have not provided clear evidence for this assertion.
Spokesman for Hamas, Ismail al-Thawabta, mentioned that Shiri’s remains may have become mixed with other bodies after the bombing. In response, Israel disputes this claim, asserting that forensic evidence suggests Ariel and Kfir were killed deliberately, not in an airstrike. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that the evidence had been shared with international partners for verification.
Shiri, along with her sons Ariel and Kfir, aged four and nine months, was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, during a Hamas attack in Israel. Their father, Yarden Bibas, was also taken but was released by Hamas on February 1. The initial assault resulted in around 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and 251 people were taken hostage. In retaliation, Israel launched a significant military campaign that, according to reports from the Hamas-run health ministry, has led to the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians, primarily civilians.
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