Israeli authorities have confirmed that the remains returned by Palestinian militants included two boys and Oded Lifshitz, but not Shiri Bibas, contrary to earlier expectations. A convoy carrying human remains said to be those of Shiri Bibas arrived in Tel Aviv for identification. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later identified the body as an unidentified "Gazan woman," a claim Hamas dismissed as "sheer lies." The situation has stirred emotions and controversy, with mourners lining the streets outside the Abu Kabir Forensics Center in Tel Aviv.
The remains of Kfir and Ariel, the sons of Shiri Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz were among the four bodies returned by Hamas on Thursday. Hamas had handed over what it described as Shiri Bibas' body to the Red Cross, according to its leader Mahmoud Mardawi. However, the fourth body did not match any other Israeli hostage, leading to confusion and further investigation.
The Israeli Health Ministry stated that doctors and laboratories at the National Center for Forensic Medicine were urgently working to identify the latest body with both speed and sensitivity. Meanwhile, Hamas claimed that Shiri and her two sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2023. The Israeli government has rejected this explanation, with military spokesperson Daniel Hagari asserting that forensic evidence indicated the boys were murdered by terrorists "with their bare hands."
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) played a critical role in transferring the human remains from Hamas to Israeli authorities. While the ICRC received a coffin from Hamas, it stated that it could not confirm any details about the remains or their origin.
As vehicles carrying the human remains arrived at the forensics center in Tel Aviv, mourners gathered in a poignant display of grief and solidarity. Holding Israeli flags, they lined the street, awaiting answers about the fate of Shiri Bibas amid the cloud of mystery and tension surrounding her family's tragic story.
