20th February 2025
Hamas handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza on Thursday.
The group staged a public event at the handover site, where masked militants stood alongside cheering onlookers. Four black coffins were displayed on a stage with a banner depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a message accusing Israel of killing the hostages in airstrikes.
Among the deceased were Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir. Israel plans to confirm their identities once the bodies are returned.
This is the first time Hamas has released the remains of Israeli victims since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023. Israel has previously recovered some hostage bodies from Gaza. Hamas claims the Bibas family members were killed in Israeli airstrikes.
