Israel Says Body of Hamas Hostage Shiri Bibas Was Not Returned with Young Sons’ Remains
Kfir and Ariel Bibas "were brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023," the Israeli military said
Kfir and Ariel Bibas "were brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023," the Israeli military said AFP via Getty Shiri Bibas with one of her two sons:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Shiri-BIbas-022025-6db2a0c64fab4fd2b8ea15eae729ab19.jpg "Shiri BIbas This combination of pictures created on February 20, 2025 shows posters bearing the portraits of Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas (C) and her two children Ariel (L) and Kfir (R), held in the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants, set up on a square outside the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, on January 21, 2025.")
The Israeli military claims that the body of hostage Shiri Bibas was not returned with her young son's remains.
The Israeli military made the claim in a statement on Thursday, Feb. 20 — a day after Hamas confirmed the death of Shiri and her two sons, Kfir and Ariel. Peace activist Oded Lifshitz, 83, was also confirmed dead.
Hamas had agreed to quickly release the "four slain hostages" and release an additional "six living hostages" on Feb. 22.
The Israeli military confirmed in its statement that two of the bodies had been identified as those of Kfir and Ariel, who they said "were brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023."
Related: 33 Israeli Hostages Expected to Be Released in Deal with Hamas During Final Days of Biden's Presidency Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kfir and Ariel Bibas
They said that Ariel Bibas was four years old at the time of his death, and Kfir was 10 months old at the time of his death.
In a statement from Lifshitz's family shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, they confirmed that the third body was his.
According to the Israeli military, during the identification process, it was determined that the fourth body was no match for any other hostage, including Shiri, and therefore was an "anonymous, unidentified body."
The Israeli military said that not returning Shiri's body was a "violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages."
"We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages," their statement added.
Related: Two Youngest Israeli Hostages, Ages 2 and 5, and Their Mother Confirmed Dead as Hamas Prepares to Return Their Remains ABOOD ABUSALAMA/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Members of the Red Cross inspect a coffin during the handing over by Hamas militants of the bodies of four Israeli hostages in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza on February 20, 2025.
While Hamas has not responded to the Israeli military's claims, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem proposed releasing the remaining prisoners in "one go" on Wednesday as part of the second phase of their of their agreement.
The deal, in which Israel is expected to surrender Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages, was agreed upon in January.
"We are ready for a second phase in which the prisoners will be exchanged in one go, within the criterion of reaching an agreement that leads to a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal from the Strip,” Qassem said, per Al Jazeera.
Kfir and Ariel were abducted alongside their mother from their home in Nir Oz during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the Israeli military said.
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Yarden Bibas, the boys' father, according to the Israeli military, had gone out to protect his family and was abducted before their abduction. He was returned alive on Feb. 1.
