By Melanie Lidman, Mohammad Jahjouh and Wafaa Shurafa | Related Press
TEL AVIV, Israel — The stays of two youngster hostages have been recognized however one other physique launched by Hamas was not the boys’ mom, the Israeli army mentioned early Friday.
Hamas militants had turned over 4 our bodies Thursday below the tenuous ceasefire that has paused over 15 months of battle. One was that of Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was kidnapped through the Hamas assault that began the battle on Oct. 7, 2023.
The stays of Ariel and Kfir Bibas had been recognized by the Nationwide Institute of Forensic Medication in collaboration with the Israel Police and the household was notified, the Israeli Protection Forces mentioned in an announcement. It mentioned the boys had been murdered in captivity in November 2023.
The identification course of for the extra physique acquired decided it was not that of Shiri Bibas or another hostage, the Israeli army mentioned.
“This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages,” the army mentioned. “We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages.”
Hamas didn’t instantly reply to Israel’s announcement that the physique was not of the boys’ mom.
The announcement from the Israeli army comes as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that started Jan. 19 stays shaky. A sequence of explosions Thursday on three parked buses rattled central Israel. The Israeli army mentioned early Friday it had imposed restrictions on Palestinian motion and sealed off elements of within the West Financial institution amid its ongoing safety operations there.
An announcement on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the Israeli army would “carry out an intensive operation against centers of terrorism” within the West Financial institution, elevating the specter of an additional escalation there.
The handover of 4 our bodies to Israel through the day Thursday had set off a nationwide outpouring of grief as flag-waving crowds lined highways on a wet day to pay respect to a convoy carrying the coffins and hundreds packed a Tel Aviv sq. in an emotional nighttime vigil.
Many individuals wiped away tears and softly sang the nationwide anthem because the caravan wound by way of southern Israel — a stark distinction to the celebratory return of 24 residing hostages in latest weeks below a tenuous ceasefire that has paused over 15 months of battle.
The handover was a grim reminder of those that died in captivity.
Hamas has mentioned that each one 4 had been killed together with their guards in Israeli airstrikes. However Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Thursday that Lifshitz was killed in captivity by the Islamic Jihad militant group.
Militants who handed over the our bodies displayed 4 black coffins on a stage within the Gaza Strip surrounded by banners, together with one depicting Netanyahu as a vampire. On every coffin, a photograph of one of many hostages was stapled to the aspect.
Giant numbers of masked and armed militants seemed on because the coffins had been loaded onto Crimson Cross autos earlier than being pushed to Israeli forces. The army later held a small funeral ceremony, on the request of the households, earlier than transferring the our bodies to a laboratory in Israel for formal identification utilizing DNA.
In Tel Aviv the place the our bodies had been transported, a double rainbow unfolded throughout the sky simply earlier than sundown. Hundreds of individuals gathered on the metropolis’s Hostage Sq. and recited conventional mourning prayers. Some held orange balloons, in honor of the Bibas boys, and the group swelled after sunset as musicians carried out subdued ballads, matching the nation’s grief.
“Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog mentioned. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely.”
Lifshitz’s household mentioned after the handover that his stays had been formally recognized. His son, Yizhar, instructed an Israeli TV station that it had introduced some closure to the household. He mentioned they didn’t but know the reason for demise.
“On a certain level, it closes the small chance that we had thought about,” he mentioned. “It is also closure that he will be buried back on the kibbutz. It’s a difficult day.”
Toddler was the youngest taken hostage
Kfir Bibas was a red-headed toddler with a toothless smile when militants stormed the household’s residence on Oct. 7, 2023. His brother, Ariel, was 4. Video from that day confirmed a terrified Shiri swaddling the boys as militants led them into Gaza.
Her husband, Yarden Bibas, was taken individually and launched this month.
Family in Israel have clung to hope, marking the boys’ birthdays. The Bibas household mentioned Wednesday it will watch for “identification procedures” earlier than acknowledging that their family members had been useless.
A cousin of Shiri Bibas who lives in Buenos Aires, instructed the native Radio Con Vos station she has been reliving the trauma of the kidnapping. Romina Miasnik mentioned she hoped her family members “can become a symbol of something new, of coexistence, of hatred no longer having a place.”
Supporters all through Israel have worn orange — a reference to the 2 boys’ hair colour — and a preferred kids’s music was written of their honor.
Just like the Bibas household, Oded Lifshitz was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, alongside along with his spouse, Yocheved, who was freed early within the battle as an obvious humanitarian gesture.
Hamas-led militants kidnapped 251 hostages, together with about 30 kids, within the Oct. 7 assault, wherein in addition they killed round 1,200 folks, principally civilians.
Greater than half the hostages, and many of the girls and kids, have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers. Israeli forces have rescued eight and have recovered dozens of our bodies of individuals killed within the preliminary assault or who died in captivity.
It’s not clear if the ceasefire will final
Hamas is ready to free six residing hostages on Saturday in alternate for a whole bunch of Palestinian prisoners, and says it is going to launch 4 extra our bodies subsequent week, finishing the primary part. That may depart the militants with about 60 hostages, all males and about half believed to be useless.
Hamas has mentioned it gained’t launch the remaining captives with out a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu, with the complete backing of the Trump administration, says he’s dedicated to destroying Hamas’ army and governing capacities and returning all of the hostages, objectives broadly seen as mutually unique.
Trump’s proposal to take away about 2 million Palestinians from Gaza so the U.S. can personal and rebuild it, which has been welcomed by Netanyahu however universally rejected by Palestinians and Arab nations, has thrown the ceasefire into additional doubt.
Hamas may very well be reluctant to free extra hostages if it believes that the battle will resume with the aim of annihilating the group or forcibly transferring Gaza’s inhabitants.
Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Jahjouh reported from Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. Almudena Calatrava in Buenos Aires, Argentina, contributed to this report.
