In a tense development highlighting the fragility of the Gaza ceasefire, Hamas released a body on Friday claiming it to be that of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas. An earlier misidentification during a handover this week had threatened to derail the delicate truce between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli forensic teams are examining the body, transferred via the Red Cross, to confirm its identity. The misidentification occurred when Hamas agreed to hand over the bodies of Shiri, her two young sons Kfir and Ariel, and a fourth hostage on Thursday as part of the ceasefire agreement. However, Israeli specialists determined that one of the bodies was not that of Shiri but an unidentified woman.
Shiri, her husband Yarden, and their sons were among the civilians kidnapped during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The failure to correctly return her body heightened tensions, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to issue a stern warning.
“We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages—both living and dead—and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
Hamas acknowledged the error, attributing it to the chaos caused by ongoing Israeli airstrikes. “Unfortunate mistakes can occur, especially as Israeli bombing has mixed the bodies of Israeli hostages and Palestinians,” said Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau. “We confirm that it is not in our values or our interest to keep any bodies or not to abide by the covenants and agreements that we sign.”
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of Shiri and her children remain disputed. Hamas stated in November 2023 that they were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government media office, said Netanyahu “bears full responsibility for killing her and her children.”
Contradicting this, the Israeli military suggested that forensic analysis indicates the children were deliberately killed by their captors. Chief military spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed the boys were killed by militants “with their bare hands,” though no further details were provided.
The United Nations Human Rights Office called for an effective investigation into the causes of the hostage deaths. “The return of the remains of the deceased is a basic humanitarian goal,” the office stated.
This incident underscores the tenuous nature of the ceasefire brokered with international assistance, including efforts from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. With both sides presenting conflicting narratives, the situation remains volatile, and the potential for renewed conflict looms.
