In a recent development that threatens the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, Hamas released a body on Friday, claiming it to be that of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas. The misidentification during the handover this week has raised significant tensions between the involved parties.
Israeli medical authorities have announced that forensic teams are currently examining the body, which Hamas transferred via the Red Cross, to confirm its identity. This comes after Hamas had agreed to hand over the remains of Shiri Bibas, her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, and the remains of a fourth hostage, Oded Lifshitz, under the ceasefire that has halted fighting in Gaza since last month.
While the identities of the Bibas boys and Lifshitz were confirmed, Israeli specialists reported that the fourth body was an unidentified woman, not Shiri Bibas. Shiri Bibas, along with her sons and husband Yarden, was kidnapped during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, acknowledged that "unfortunate mistakes" could occur, especially given the chaos caused by Israeli bombing that mixed the bodies of hostages and Palestinians, many still buried in rubble. He emphasized Hamas's commitment to abiding by agreements, stating, \"We confirm that it is not in our values or our interest to keep any bodies or not to abide by the covenants and agreements that we sign.\"
The incorrect handover led to heightened tensions in Israel, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to vow retaliation. In a video statement, Netanyahu declared, \"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.\"
In November 2023, Hamas claimed that Shiri and her children were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government media office, held Netanyahu responsible for their deaths. Conversely, the Israeli military stated that intelligence assessments and forensic analysis indicated that the Bibas children were deliberately killed by Hamas militants.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has called for an effective investigation into the deaths, highlighting the return of deceased hostages as a basic humanitarian goal.
This incident underscores the precarious nature of the ceasefire agreement brokered with U.S. support and assistance from Qatari and Egyptian mediators last month.
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Hamas releases new hostage body after misidentification of Shiri Bibas
cgtn.com
