LONDON — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed “revenge” on Friday after the Israeli navy stated one of many 4 our bodies just lately launched by Hamas didn’t embody a hostage.
Hamas, the militant group that governs the war-torn Gaza Strip, stated it had handed over the stays of 4 deceased Israeli hostages on Thursday: 32-year-old Shiri Bibas; her two youngsters — Ariel Bibas, 4, and Kfir Bibas, 8 1/2 months; and 84-year-old Oded Lifschitz.
After conducting a forensic evaluation on the returned our bodies, Israeli officers positively recognized Lifschitz and the 2 Bibas youngsters however stated the fourth physique was not that of their mom nor another hostage, in keeping with the Israel Protection Forces, which accused Hamas of committing a “very severe violation” of the present ceasefire settlement.
“The cruelty of the Hamas monsters is aware of no bounds,” Netanyahu stated in a press release Friday. “Not solely did they kidnap the daddy, Yarden Bibas, the younger mom, Shiri, and their two small infants. In an unspeakably cynical method, they didn’t return Shiri to her little youngsters, the little angels, and so they put the physique of a Gazan girl in a coffin.”
“We’ll act with dedication to convey Shiri residence together with all our hostages – each residing and lifeless – and be sure that Hamas pays the complete worth for this merciless and evil violation of the settlement,” he added.
Israeli troopers carry the coffins of deceased hostages, recognized on the time by Palestinian militant teams as Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two youngsters, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, who have been kidnapped in the course of the lethal October 7, 2023 assault by Hamas, and have been handed over beneath the phrases of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, within the Gaza Strip on this handout picture obtained by Reuters on February 20, 2025. GPO/Handout through REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
Gpo/through Reuters
The IDF, citing “the evaluation of the skilled authorities,” stated Ariel and Kfir Bibas “have been brutally murdered in captivity in November 2023 by terrorists.” Their father, 35-year-old Yarden Bibas, was additionally kidnapped in the course of the Hamas-led terror assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, however he survived and was freed earlier this month.
In response, Hamas stated the stays of Shiri Bibas have been combined with different human stays beneath the rubble of the place the place she was being held in Gaza after Israeli airstrikes “intentionally” destroyed the realm, “killing her and her youngsters.”
“Netanyahu himself is the one who issued the orders for the direct and cruel bombing, and he’s the one who bears full accountability for killing her and her youngsters in a horrific and brutal method,” Ismail Al-Thawabta, director-general of Gaza’s Hamas-run Authorities Media Workplace, stated in a press release Friday, noting that the Israeli navy has killed greater than 30,000 Palestinian girls and kids in Gaza for the reason that present warfare started.
A spokesperson for Nir Oz, the kibbutz in southern Israel the place the Bibas household have been kidnapped from their residence, issued a press release Friday apparently in response to Netanyahu vowing “take revenge.”
“We woke as much as a troublesome morning,” the kibbutz spokesperson stated. “On the identical time, we adhere to our values and the clear calls for of the Bibas household at the moment: Launch, not revenge.”
Hamas is predicted to free one other six residing hostages on Saturday adopted by 4 extra our bodies subsequent week as a part of the agreed phrases for the primary part of the ceasefire, which started Jan. 19 and is meant to final 42 days.
Negotiations to set the phrases for the second part haven’t began, however Qatar’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs stated Tuesday that mediators are pushing to have talks start as quickly as potential to permit sufficient time for dialogue earlier than it begins. Hamas has accused Israel of avoiding talks and says it is prepared to barter.