Hamas has returned the correct remains of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas to her family (Image: Pixel8000)
In a turn of events, Hamas has returned the correct remains of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas to her family, following a distressing mix-up earlier in the week according to the IDF. The repatriation marks the second attempt at returning the body of the mother of two and her children, after an incorrect body was initially returned to the family on Thursday, according to The Times of Israel.
The Red Cross collected a body from the Gaza Strip, believed to be Shiri’s, and transported it to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for identification. In a statement, the family confirmed that Shiri had been murdered in captivity, saying: “This morning we received the news we feared the most. Our Shiri was murdered in captivity and has now returned home to her sons.”
While they did not provide further details on the forensic examination or their claim of murder, they requested “space to process and mourn” Shiri and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, whose bodies were returned home on Thursday.
Prior to the formal identification, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardwai assured that the correct body had been returned this time, in a remarkable admission of their earlier mistake. This marks Hamas’s second attempt to return Shiri to Israel, following the repatriation of her children’s bodies, 9-month-old Kfir and 4 year old Arie, on Thursday.
However, while the children’s identities were confirmed, IDF forces were unable to verify that the initial body returned was indeed Shiri’s. Hamas has confirmed they will launch an investigation to determine how the blunder occurred, after mistakenly identifying remains as belonging to Shiri, reports the Mirror.
A poster shows Shiri Bibas, who was kidnapped to Gaza with her husband and two young sons on Oct. 7, 2023, in Jerusalem, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) (Image: AP)
One theory suggests that Shiri’s body was irreparably damaged in an Israeli airstrike, a claim which the IDF has denied. Ismail al-Thawabteh, a senior Hamas official, suggested that Shiri’s body was “turned into pieces” and possibly “mixed with other bodies under the rubble”.
Taking the matter seriously, Hamas issued an unprecadented statement promising to disclose the findings “clearly” after treating the allegations with “complete seriousness.”
Basem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, acknowledged “unfortunate mistakes” led to the error but emphasized the group’s commitment to honouring the agreement signed with Israel. The body thought to be Shiri’s was actually an “anonymous, unidentified” individual, with no connection to any other hostage.
In response to the mix-up, the IDF condemned the mistake as a “violation of utmost severity” by Hamas and insisted on the immediate return of “return Shiri home along with all our hostages”.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference with the US Secretary of State at his office in Jerusalem on February 16, 2025. Rubio said Palestinian militant group Hamas “must be eliminated”, after meeting on February 16 with Israel’s prime minister (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned a horrific incident, labelling it as an “unspeakable” act that exemplifies “the cruelty of the Hamas monsters know no bounds”. In a resolute video statement, he vowed: “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.”
Despite Netanyahu’s pledge for action, the Bibas family maintained their position, expressing no desire for vengeance but simply the return of their cherished family member.
Ofri Bibas, Shiri Bibas’ sister-in-law, stated to Al Jazeera: “We are not seeking revenge right now”; instead, she directed criticism at the Israeli government for “There is no forgiveness for abandoning them on October 7, and no forgiveness for abandoning them in captivity,”.
Even as Hamas acknowledged their error, the international community reacted sharply, with widespread denunciation of the organisation and suggestions of intentional misconduct. Israel‘s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, fiercely berated the militants, decrying the poor treatment of the coffin as if it was a “worthless shipment”.
He said: “This is a new low, an evil and cruelty with no parallel,” and furthered that “There are no words that can describe such an atrocity.”
Shiri Silberman Bibas with her son Kfir (Image: PA)
David Lammy, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, joined the global reprimand of Hamas, criticizing not just the mishap but also the alleged killing of the Bibas children—a charge that Hamas vehemently refutes.
“The vile killing of the Bibas children by Hamas terrorists is sick and abhorrent, as is the failure to return the body of their mother Shiri to the grieving family,” the Foreign Secretary shared on X. “Her body must be returned. The hostages must be released. This nightmare must end.”
US envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, underscored the seriousness of the situation, suggesting that this act could jeopardise the current ceasefire agreement.
However, it is believed that Saturday’s prisoner exchange will proceed as scheduled. At least 66 hostages are still being held in Gaza by Hamas, where they have been captive for over 500 days.
Their worried families are anxiously awaiting their safe return – with only half thought to be alive. Six of these Israeli hostages are set to be freed on Saturday, in a swap for 602 Palestinians who have been detained in Israeli prisons, some for several decades.
According to the Government Media Office, Israel‘s war on Gaza has resulted in the death of 61,709 Palestinians, with thousands more presumed dead under the rubble. In contrast, at least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and over 200 were taken prisoner.