Hamas releases bodies of slain Israelis: Shiri Bibas, her sons and Oded Lofshitz

Hamas has finally turned over the bodies of four slain Israeli hostages more than 500 days after the tragic attack that took place on October 7, 2023, in Israel. The bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, along with Oded Lifshitz, a retired journalist and activist, were handed over by Hamas. The identities of the victims will be confirmed in Israel, a process that could take up to 48 hours.

Shiri, who was 32 years old at the time of the kidnapping, was accompanied by her 4-year-old son Ariel and her 9-month-old son Kfir. Their father, Yarden, was also kidnapped by Hamas but was fortunate to survive and was released on February 1.

Lifshitz, an 83-year-old retired journalist and activist, was taken captive along with his 85-year-old wife, Yocheved, from their home. Yocheved was released on October 23, 2023, leaving Lifshitz in captivity until now.

The emotional handover of the bodies took place in front of a large crowd near Khan Younis early in the morning on Thursday. Hamas arrived carrying the bodies in four separate cars, each in a black coffin. The crowd reportedly cheered as the transfer occurred.

Israeli President Issac Herzog expressed his profound sorrow in a statement, stating that there are no words to describe the pain and agony felt by the nation. He apologized for not being able to protect the hostages and bring them home safely, asking for forgiveness on behalf of the State of Israel.

This release marks the first instance of transferring the bodies of slain hostages since the ceasefire deal was implemented last month. As part of the agreement, Hamas will also be releasing three more hostages in exchange for over 300 prisoners. The next scheduled transfer is set for Saturday, where six living hostages will be released.

Despite these positive developments, around 70 hostages still remain in Hamas custody, with most of them being men, including Israeli soldiers. It is believed that about half of the remaining hostages may have already lost their lives.

This heartbreaking event continues to unfold, and updates will be provided as the situation progresses. Stay tuned for more information on this developing story.