Israel says Hamas has not handed over the body of hostage Shiri Bibas – saying they had instead received the remains of an “anonymous body without identification”.
Ms Bibas was kidnapped with her sons – four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir – from the Niz Or kibbutz during the Palestinian militant group’s incursion into Israel in October 2023.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed they received the bodies of Ariel and Kfir today.
However, they said the body that Hamas had claimed was their mother was not her.
In a statement, the IDF said: “During the identification process, it was found that the additional body received was not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other abductee. It is an anonymous body without identification.
“This is a very serious violation by the Hamas terrorist organisation, which is required by the agreement to return four dead abductees. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all of our abductees.”
The IDF added: “We share the deep sorrow of the Bibas family at this difficult time and will continue to make every effort to return Shiri and all the kidnapped as soon as possible.”
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Ariel and Kfir’s father Yarden Bibas was released on 1 February as part of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
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