Photo: telegram channel
On 22 February, Israel officially confirmed the death of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas, who was held captive by Hamas militants. This was announced by the family of the deceased in a statement released on Saturday. After a forensic examination, the woman’s body was identified, confirming the family’s worst fears.
“We were afraid of this news”
In a statement, the Bibas family said: “After the identification process at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, this morning we received the news we had feared the most. Our Shiri was killed in captivity and has now returned home to be laid to rest with her children, husband and entire family.”
The relatives admitted that they believed in the rescue of Shiri and her children until the very end: “We kept hoping that we would be able to hug them again, but now we are devastated and in grief.”
Hamas manipulation of the bodies of the dead
On 20 February, Hamas terrorists handed over to Israel the coffins with the bodies of four hostages, claiming that they were Shiri Bibas, her young sons, 9-month-old Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel, and 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz. They were all abducted on 7 October 2023 from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
However, the results of the forensic examination revealed a shocking truth: one of the transferred bodies did not belong to Shira Bibas, but to an unknown woman from the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this information and condemned Hamas for deliberate manipulation.
According to the forensic examination, both boys were killed in November 2023, about a month after the abduction.
The tragedy of the Bibas family
Shiri Bibas was captured along with her children during a massive Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her husband, Yarden Bibas, was held separately from the family and released on 1 February. According to Israeli officials, he had no contact with his wife and children during his captivity.
This tragedy is yet another reminder of the brutality of terrorist groups and the deep humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict. The Israeli authorities continue to call on the international community to do more to free all hostages remaining in the hands of Hamas.
We remember Shiri, Kfir and Ariel.
Their story has become a symbol of the pain experienced by thousands of Israeli families.
