In brief
In a developing situation following the confusing repatriation of remains, Hamas claims to have handed over the correct body of Shiri Bibas, a mother taken hostage during the conflict. This news comes on the heels of a prior mistake when the remains delivered were not hers, causing friction as the ceasefire agreement continues.
Hamas announced on February 21, 2025, that it had transferred to the Red Cross a body believed to belong to Shiri Bibas, who garnered national attention after she was abducted alongside her two young sons in an attack on October 7, 2023. Initially, her remains were thought to have been returned alongside those of her children, Ariel and Kfir, as part of a prisoner exchange arrangement. However, following DNA testing, Israeli officials confirmed that the body was not Bibas's.No immediate comment was made by the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the retrieval process, and the Israeli military indicated that reports of the previous repatriation were still under examination. Mousa Abu Marzouk, a key Hamas official, communicated via text that they believed the body handed over on Friday was indeed Bibas’s. This belief was echoed by other anonymous Hamas representatives involved in the sensitive handoff.The uncertainty about the accuracy of the returned remains comes amid ongoing challenges in the ceasefire arrangement. On Thursday, a previous transfer included the remains of four individuals, including Bibas, whose caskets were paraded before the public in Khan Younis. However, once the remains reached a forensic team in Tel Aviv, it was almost immediately revealed that one belonged to a different individual.Israeli military officials condemned the earlier mishap as a severe breach of the ceasefire agreement. In response, Hamas suggested the potential for an unintentional error or confusion over the identities of the remains. The current ceasefire phase is nearing its end, prompting urgency for both sides as discussions for prolongation have yet to be finalized.
