Hamas Returns Bodies of Israeli Hostages in Locked Coffins
The remains of four Israeli hostages murdered by Hamas were returned to Israel on Thursday in a grim ceremony held in Gaza. The victims included Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, as well as 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz. Their bodies were placed in black coffins that were locked, with the keys withheld as an added indignity. Before the handover, the coffins were paraded through Gaza in a highly publicized display, with large crowds gathering to watch.
Among the victims, Kfir Bibas stood out as the youngest hostage, having been only nine months old when he was abducted on October 7, 2023. Hamas claimed that the four captives had been killed alongside their guards in Israeli airstrikes, though no concrete evidence was provided to support this assertion. Israeli authorities have stated they will conduct forensic examinations to officially confirm the identities of the deceased.
This marks the first time Hamas has returned the remains of hostages since a ceasefire agreement took effect the previous month. Israeli President Isaac Herzog responded with deep sorrow, acknowledging the nation’s collective grief. In an emotional statement, he expressed remorse, stating, “On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness—for not protecting you on that terrible day, for not bringing you home safely.”
During the handover, Hamas militants displayed the coffins on a stage adorned with banners, including one depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire. Thousands of spectators, including armed and masked militants, cheered as the bodies were transferred to the Red Cross before being transported to Israeli authorities. The somber event underscored the ongoing hostilities and the deep-seated animosities that persist in the region.
The October 7 attack by Hamas resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, including approximately 30 children, and the killing of about 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians. As part of ongoing negotiations, Hamas is expected to release six living hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, the terror group has announced plans to return the bodies of four more captives in the coming week. Despite these exchanges, an estimated 60 hostages remain in Hamas custody, with about half feared dead.