Hamas announced on Thursday that they had released the remains of four Israeli hostages, including two young children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who had long been presumed dead. The release occurred during a fragile ceasefire following over 15 months of conflict, which began with Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. However, Israeli military officials later confirmed that one of the bodies was not the boys’ mother, Shiri Bibas.
The Israeli Defense Forces reported that the remains of the Bibas brothers were confirmed by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Israel Police, and the families were subsequently notified. Among the released bodies was identified as Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 at the time of his abduction during the initial attack. The military emphasized that the unidentified body released by Hamas was not that of the boys’ mother or any other hostage, highlighting a significant breach of trust.
As the ceasefire approaches the end of its first phase in early March, negotiations for the subsequent, more challenging phase between Israel and Hamas remain stagnant. U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to relocate the Palestinian population from Gaza continues to face widespread disapproval from both Palestinians and neighboring Arab nations.
In related developments, UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized Hamas for the circumstances surrounding the handover of the bodies, emphasizing that international law mandates the respectful treatment of the deceased and their families.
The Argentine government declared two days of national mourning in response to the confirmation of the Bibas brothers’ identities, both of whom held Argentine citizenship. They expressed deep concerns over the absence of their mother’s remains and demanded the immediate release of all hostages still in captivity, reinforcing their confidence in the eventual downfall of Hamas.
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon condemned Hamas’ actions, stating they had treated the return of an unidentified body as something of little value, describing it as a manifestation of cruelty unmatched in kind. He urged the UN Security Council to denounce this perceived atrocity and called for the immediate return of Shiri Bibas to her family.
A high-ranking U.S. official voiced strong concerns after the Israeli military reported the release of an “anonymous” body, criticizing Hamas’ actions and labeling them as a grave violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The Israeli military claimed that Ariel and Kfir were “brutally murdered” by their captors while in detention, with assessments based on intelligence and forensic evidence. While mourning the loss of the boys, they reiterated the insistence that the body of their mother was not among those returned.
In another incident unrelated to the hostage situation, three buses were reported to have exploded in central Israel, but miraculously, no injuries were recorded. Authorities found additional explosives that did not detonate. The police confirmed that the explosive devices matched those previously used in militant activities in the West Bank.
Argentinian officials expressed profound sorrow after the return of the Bibas family’s remains, with Defense Minister Luis Petri voicing the shared grief of the nation. There was no immediate comment from President Javier Milei, who has aligned Argentina’s foreign policy closely with that of Israel following the October 7 attack.
Romina Miasnik, a cousin of Shiri Bibas, expressed a desire for her family to symbolize peace rather than violence, urging the public to reject the normalization of aggression.
The Red Cross reiterated that the return of Israeli hostages should be conducted with utmost dignity and respect, critiquing the way Hamas presented their latest handover. Meanwhile, UN rights officials labeled the display of hostages’ bodies as “abhorrent,” insisting that such actions violate international norms.
French President Emmanuel Macron and the British Embassy in Israel both conveyed their condolences and support for the families affected by the hostages’ deaths.
Amid these developments, Saudi Arabia is set to host an informal meeting with leaders from Arab nations to discuss joint actions, following President Trump’s suggestion to permanently relocate displaced Palestinians. This proposal has drawn significant backlash from leading Arab countries that favor the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
In a solemn military ceremony, Israeli forces conducted a brief service for the returned remains, performing prayers before transporting them for DNA testing to confirm their identities officially. With continued tensions and uncertainties, the potential for resolution remains fraught with challenges.
Hamas’s handover of the remains highlighted the ongoing conflict’s emotional weight, as hostilities between Israel and Hamas persist amidst international calls for peace and respect for human dignity.
