Hamas hands over bodies of deceased Israeli captives
Palestinians look on during the handover by Hamas of deceased Israeli captives
Hamas fighters handed over the bodies of deceased Israeli captives Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas, and her two children Kfir and Ariel Bibas to the Red Cross
It’s an incredibly sensitive and emotional day across Israel as this convoy was carrying the bodies of the four Israeli captives here: Shiri Bibas and her two children and an 85-year-old man, all of them from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The Bibas family had become a sort of national symbol for the Bring Them Back Now movement. Their families had been advocating for their release, trying to put pressure on the Israeli government for some time.
The husband and father, Yarden Bibas, was released on February 1 as part of the ceasefire deal. He had not been held with his family members in Gaza during his captivity.
He and his family say that they were surprised when the Israeli army released a statement yesterday saying it was going to be the bodies of his wife and his children [that would be released today] because they did not authorise the release of that sort of information.
‘One of the hardest days’: Israelis gather for return of captives’ bodies
Dozens of flag-bearing Israelis have gathered to line the route of a convoy bringing home the bodies of four Israeli captives handed over by Hamas in Gaza.
About 100 Israelis had also gathered at the Tel Aviv plaza dubbed ‘Hostages Square’ – a site of regular protests for the release of the captives.
“This is one of the hardest days, I think, since October 7,” said museum manager Tania Coen Uzzielli, 59.
“I think the feeling of personal guilt is something each of us carries – that maybe we could have done more, that maybe we didn’t do enough to prevent this tragedy.”
Israelis wave the national flag as the convoy of vehicles transporting the bodies of the four Israeli captives arrives at the entrance to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv
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