Synopsis
The Al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas have handed over the remains of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas to the ICRC, following a mix-up with another body. This incident occurred amid the chaos of ongoing conflict and has sparked reactions from Israeli officials.Key Takeaways
- The Al-Qassam Brigades returned the remains of Shiri Bibas to the ICRC.
- A body previously returned was misidentified due to airstrikes.
- The mix-up has caused significant emotional responses in Israel.
- Israeli authorities conducted DNA tests to confirm the identity.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed consequences for Hamas.
Gaza, Feb 22 (NationPress) The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military branch of Hamas, has transferred the remains of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli captive, to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as reported by a senior official from Hamas. This handover came after Israeli officials confirmed that a body previously returned by Hamas was not that of Bibas.
The anonymous official indicated that the confusion arose from the turmoil caused by Israeli airstrikes, which led to the misidentification of the remains, according to the Xinhua news agency.
"This was an unfortunate error, as Shiri's body was mixed with others due to the Israeli strikes on the vicinity where it was found," he stated.
On the same day, Hamas returned the remains of four hostages to Israel, which resulted in a nationwide expression of sorrow, as flag-waving crowds gathered along highways on a rainy day to honor a convoy carrying the coffins. Thousands participated in an emotional vigil in a square in Tel Aviv during the night.
The deceased hostages included an elderly journalist and peace advocate, along with three others: a mother and her two young boys, who have become international symbols of the grief experienced by the nation following the Hamas attack that instigated Israel's war with the militant group in October 2023.
On that Thursday, Al-Qassam returned the remains of four Israeli hostages—presumably including Shiri Bibas, her sons Ariel and Kfir, as well as retired journalist Oded Lifshitz—to Israel via the ICRC.
These four hostages were taken to Gaza during a Hamas-led offensive on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
However, later that Thursday, after conducting forensic examinations, Israeli authorities revealed that the body initially thought to be Shiri Bibas did not correspond to her DNA.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday that Israel would seek retribution against Hamas for not delivering Shiri’s body, stating, "We will ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement."
