Israel's president has described the nation as being in deep sorrow following the return of four hostages' bodies taken alive by Hamas during its attack on October 7, 2023. The remains were transported to Tel Aviv.
According to Hamas, the deceased include a mother and her two young children from the Bibas family, as well as 84-year-old Oded Lifschitz, a veteran peace activist.
President Isaac Herzog shared his grief on social media platform X, stating, "there are no words," and asking the victims for forgiveness "for not bringing you home safely."
This marks the first time Hamas has returned captives' bodies since last month's ceasefire began. Israel has said it will conduct forensic examinations to confirm their identities. Meanwhile, six living hostages are expected to be released on Saturday.
News of Shiri Bibas, 33, and her sons—Kfir, 5, and Ariel, 2—being among the dead, though not officially confirmed by the Israeli government, has led to widespread mourning in Israel. The Bibas family issued a statement expressing their distress, saying they remain hopeful until official confirmation is received.
In Gaza’s Khan Younis, four black coffins were publicly displayed on a stage adorned with propaganda before being handed over to the Red Cross in a formalized process involving Hamas fighters. The bodies were then transferred to Israeli forces and taken to Israel, where mourners lined the streets as a police convoy carried them to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Jaffa for autopsies.
The Red Cross had earlier urged Hamas to ensure a dignified handover following criticism of the way previous hostage releases were conducted.
The exact cause of death for Shiri and her two sons remains unknown. In November 2023, Hamas claimed they were killed in an Israeli airstrike but provided no evidence. Israeli officials, including then-war cabinet member Benny Gantz, stated at the time that there was no confirmation of this claim.
The Bibas family was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas militants breached Israel’s border, launching an attack on communities, security forces, and a music festival. Approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the assault, and 251 others were taken hostage into Gaza.
In retaliation, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Hamas, which, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in at least 48,297 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians.
Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, 35, was released on February 1 as part of a prisoner exchange, which saw Israel release 183 Palestinian detainees.
Oded Lifschitz, a retired journalist, was also kidnapped from Nir Oz alongside his wife, Yocheved, who was freed by Hamas two weeks later. He was held by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad from October 7, 2023, until his death.
The release of the hostages' bodies was part of a ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19, under which Israel confirmed that eight bodies would be returned.
The agreement included an exchange of 33 hostages for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners over six weeks. However, negotiations for the next phase of the deal—which would involve releasing the remaining living hostages and ending the war—have yet to begin.
So far, 28 hostages and more than 1,000 prisoners have been exchanged.
Currently, 66 hostages taken on October 7 are still held in Gaza, along with three others captured over a decade ago. About half of those still in captivity are believed to be alive.
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