Hamas has turned over the bodies of four slain Israeli hostages more than 500 days after the terrorist group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel.
Hamas said the bodies would include Shiri Bibas and her two toddlers, Ariel and Kfir, as well as Oded Lifshitz. Their identities will be confirmed in Israel, which could take up to 48 hours.
L-R: Shiri Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Ariel Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz. (Hostages Family Forum via AP)
The transfer took place in front of a large crowd near Khan Younis at around 9 a.m. local time on Thursday. The crowd was reportedly cheering when Hamas arrived carrying four black coffins in four separate cars.
“As the bodies of four Israeli hostages are transferred by Hamas to the Red Cross, hundreds of ‘innocent Gazans’ dance to music, and happily film this tragic event,” Israel’s Government Press Office wrote on X. “Speechless doesn’t begin to describe how this makes us feel.”
The coffins were later transferred to a Red Cross car, which took them to Israeli forces inside the Gaza Strip.
This release is the first one involving the transfer of slain hostages since the ceasefire deal went into effect last month.
The next transfer is scheduled to take place on Saturday where Hamas will release six living hostages.
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