- Israel is demanding Hamas return the body of Shiri Bibas after the militant group handed over remains that do not match any known hostage. Israeli forensic tests confirmed that her two young children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, were murdered by hand while in captivity, contradicting Hamas’ claim that they were killed in an airstrike.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Hamas’ actions as a violation of the ceasefire deal and called for international condemnation.
- Hostage families are urging Israel to maintain the ceasefire deal to secure the release of more captives, while negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire have not yet begun.
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Israel is demanding Hamas return the body of Shiri Bibas after the militant group handed over remains that do not match any known hostage. The exchange comes as Israeli officials reveal new details about the brutal killings of Bibas’ two young children in captivity.
What does Israel say about the Bibas children’s deaths?
Israeli forensic tests confirm that 4-year-old Ariel and 10-month-old Kfir Bibas were not killed in an airstrike, as Hamas previously claimed. Instead, Israeli authorities say the children were murdered by hand while in captivity. Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that evidence shared with international partners supports this conclusion.
“The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys — they killed them with their bare hands. Afterward, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities,” Hagari said.
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How did the Bibas family become hostages?
Hamas kidnapped Shiri Bibas, Ariel and Kfir from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Their father, Yarden Bibas, was also taken hostage but was released on Feb. 1 as part of a ceasefire deal.
Hamas had claimed it was returning the remains of Shiri Bibas along with those of journalist Oded Lifshitz and her two children. However, after forensic testing, Israeli officials determined that the body said to be Shiri Bibas belonged to an unidentified individual.
How has Israel responded to the mistaken remains?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Hamas’ actions a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire deal. He warned that the militant group would face consequences.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 21, 2025
“Today is a tragic day. It’s a day of boundless sorrow, of indescribable pain.
Four-year-old Ariel Bibas, his baby brother one-year-old Kfir and 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz were brutally murdered by Hamas savages. pic.twitter.com/7TMchvOZ9E
“These Hamas monsters also cynically refused to bring back the boys’ mother, Shiri, and sent the body of a Gazan woman instead, in brazen violation of the agreement. Today the heavens shake. The entire civilized world should condemn these horrific murders. The entire civilized world should join Israel in demanding the immediate release of all the hostages,” Netanyahu said.
How did Hamas present the hostage remains?
The handover took place in Gaza, where Hamas paraded the coffins before transferring them to the Red Cross.
Palestinian militants displayed the caskets on stage in front of a banner reading, “The Return of War = The Return of Your Prisoners in Coffins.” Armed Hamas gunmen patrolled the area, while large crowds gathered.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the display, calling it “abhorrent and cruel” and a violation of international law.
What has been the reaction in Israel and globally?
Israelis reacted with shock and grief as the scene unfolded. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, “There are no words” for the pain of seeing the coffins and expressed deep sorrow for the families.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly criticized Hamas, writing on X, “On Oct. 7, 2023, terrorists in Gaza abducted a mother, her child, her infant son and an 83-year-old man and murdered them. More than 500 days later, Hamas returned them to Israel in coffins. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims’ families who have suffered the unimaginable. Hamas is evil—pure evil—and must be eradicated. All hostages must come home now.”
Will more hostages be released under the ceasefire deal?
Hostage families are urging Israel to keep the ceasefire deal in place to secure the release of more captives. As part of the agreement, Hamas is set to release six more living hostages on Saturday, Feb. 22, including two Israeli citizens who have been held for nearly a decade.
In return, Israel is expected to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
What comes next in the ceasefire talks?
Negotiations for the next phase of the ceasefire — which could lead to the release of all remaining hostages and a complete end to the war — have not yet begun. Mediators are urging both sides to move forward before the current ceasefire expires in early March.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to demand Hamas return Shiri Bibas’ body, as hostage families warn that time is running out.
