TEL AVIV, Israel — On Thursday, there is an anticipated return of the remains of the youngest and one of the oldest individuals abducted by Hamas during the initial attack that sparked the current conflict in the Gaza Strip, according to an announcement made by an Israeli official on Wednesday.
The transfer of remains is a key component of a ceasefire agreement that has temporarily halted hostilities in Gaza. This exchange will involve the bodies of a mother and her two young sons, whose fate had remained uncertain, along with that of an octogenarian retired journalist, as shared by the official, who requested anonymity due to regulations.
This marks the first confirmation from Israeli authorities that the bodies of Ariel and Kfir Bibas—aged four years and nine months at the time of their abduction on October 7, 2023—are being returned alongside their mother, Shiri. A grassroots group representing families of hostages also verified their identities.
The Bibas family’s ordeal has become emblematic of the ongoing struggle faced by captives in Israel. For a significant portion of the conflict, the status of this family remained unclear, prompting a statement on Wednesday imploring the public to refrain from memorializing them until forensic identification of the remains could be completed.
Additionally, the remains of Oded Lifshitz, an 83-year-old man when he was taken, are set to be included in the handover, as confirmed by the official.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed the nation’s sorrow, stating, “The heart of an entire nation breaks,” in response to the news.
Hamas has claimed that the four individuals perished due to Israeli airstrikes, while Israeli leadership had previously expressed significant concern for the welfare of the Bibas family during the conflict.
Earlier this week, a high-ranking Hamas official disclosed that along with the remains, six Israeli hostages still alive will be released on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the initial stage of the ceasefire agreement.
This first phase entails a gradual release of 33 hostages by Hamas, with eight of them believed to not have survived.
Thus far, the return of 19 living Israeli hostages has been met with nationwide celebration; however, the exchange of the deceased will usher in a more somber atmosphere.
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya mentioned on Tuesday that the remains would include those of the Bibas family.
The Bibas family was captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and their plight has deeply resonated with many Israelis, illustrating the cruelty of the Hamas assault. Yarden Bibas, the family’s father, was freed from captivity earlier this month.
Lifshitz, noted as one of the oldest hostages taken, was a lifelong advocate for Arab rights. His daughter, an artist based in London, shared in January that she was holding out hope for his survival while bracing for possible bad news.
“We find ourselves in a very trying time after being informed that our beloved Oded is among the deceased hostages being returned,” his family remarked in a statement. “For 502 days, we have hoped and prayed for a different conclusion. Yet, until we obtain definitive confirmation, our story is not finished, and we will keep fighting until every last hostage is brought back home.”
Over his career as a journalist, Lifshitz fought for the acknowledgment of Palestinian rights and sought peace between Arabs and Jews. In his later years, he volunteered with a group providing transportation for Palestinians to medical appointments in Israel.
The expected release of the six living hostages on Saturday would mark a significant step forward in the violence cessation efforts. Israel is poised to continue its plan to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including individuals serving lengthy sentences for serious offenses. In this first phase, all women and children captured from Gaza since the war’s onset are also expected to be released.
Israel verifies that four deceased hostages, among whom is a young family, will be repatriated from Gaza.
