Israel-Hamas Conflict Intensifies Over Disputed Hostage Remains
Tensions between Israel and Hamas escalated on Friday after the Israeli military claimed that one of the four bodies returned by Hamas was not that of an Israeli hostage. This development further strains the already fragile ceasefire agreement between the two sides.
Identification Dispute Over Returned Bodies
On Thursday, Hamas announced it had handed over the remains of four Israeli hostages: 32-year-old Shiri Bibas; her children, Ariel Bibas, 4, and Kfir Bibas, 8 1/2 months; and 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz. However, after conducting forensic analysis, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the identities of Lifshitz and the two Bibas children but reported that the fourth body was neither Shiri Bibas nor any known hostage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a “serious violation” of the ongoing ceasefire and accused Hamas of extreme cruelty. “Not only did they kidnap the father, Yarden Bibas, the young mother, Shiri, and their two small babies. In an unspeakably cynical manner, they did not return Shiri to her little children,” Netanyahu stated.
Conflicting Accounts on Hostage Deaths
The IDF alleged that Hamas killed the Bibas children “with their bare hands” while they were held captive in Gaza, denying Hamas' claims that the children died in an Israeli airstrike. “Following a forensic examination, we can confirm that baby Kfir Bibas and his brother Ariel were brutally murdered by terrorists no later than November 2023,” said IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari.
Hamas, however, denied Israel’s accusations, calling them “pure lies” and insisting the Bibas family was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Hamas stated it is investigating the alleged mix-up and requested the return of the Palestinian woman’s body mistakenly handed over.
Read Also: Israel-Hamas Hostage Crisis Escalates Amid Disputed Body Return
International and Political Responses
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed the transfer of human remains to Israeli authorities but refrained from providing additional details.
Ofri Bibas Levy, sister of Yarden Bibas, urged Netanyahu to prioritize rescuing the remaining hostages over seeking revenge. “For Ariel and Kfir’s sake, and for Yarden’s sake, we are not seeking revenge right now. We are asking for Shiri. Save the lives of the living hostages and return all the fallen for burial,” she stated.
Ceasefire Agreement and Next Steps
Hamas is expected to release six living hostages on Saturday and an additional four bodies next week as part of the current ceasefire deal initiated on January 19. Negotiations for the second phase of the agreement remain pending, with mediators pushing for talks to resume soon.
As the crisis continues, both sides remain divided over the circumstances of the deaths and the future of the ceasefire. Further developments are anticipated in the coming days.
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