Daijiworld Media Network- Gaza
Gaza, Feb 22: The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, has handed over the body of Shiri Bibas, an Israeli hostage, to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a senior Hamas official confirmed. The move comes after Israeli authorities determined that a body returned by Hamas on Thursday was not hers.
According to the Hamas official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the confusion occurred due to the chaos caused by Israeli airstrikes, which led to the misidentification of remains, reported Xinhua news agency.
"It was an unintentional mistake, as the body of Shiri was mixed with others due to Israeli attacks on the area where it was located," he stated.
On Thursday, Hamas returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages, prompting widespread mourning across Israel. Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv for an emotional nighttime vigil, while crowds lined highways in the rain to pay their respects as the coffins were transported.
The deceased included an elderly journalist and peace activist, along with three others—a mother and her two young sons, who had become symbols of the nation’s suffering after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
Initially, Al-Qassam Brigades transferred the remains of four hostages—presumed to be Shiri Bibas, her sons Ariel and Kfir, and retired journalist Oded Lifshitz—to Israel through the ICRC. However, forensic analysis later revealed that the body believed to be Shiri Bibas did not match her DNA.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Friday that Israel would take action against Hamas, stating:
"We will ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement."