“The hearts of a complete nation lie in tatters,” Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has stated, because the our bodies of 4 hostages taken alive by Hamas in its assault on 7 October 2023 have been returned to Tel Aviv.
Hamas says the our bodies are these of a mom and two youngsters from the Bibas household, whose unknown destiny has gripped Israel. Israel has confirmed solely the identification of the fourth – Oded Lifschitz, 84, a veteran peace activist – after a forensic examination.
President Herzog wrote “there aren’t any phrases” in a put up on social media platform X, asking the 4 for forgiveness “for not bringing you dwelling safely”.
It’s the first time Hamas has returned captives lifeless because the ceasefire started final month.
Six dwelling hostages are as a result of be freed on Saturday.
The information that Shiri Bibas, 33, and her sons, who would now be aged 5 and two, have been lifeless triggered an outpouring of grief throughout the nation.
Hamas claimed in November 2023 they’d been killed in an Israeli air strike, with out offering proof. The Israeli authorities by no means confirmed the declare.
Addressing Israelis in a video assertion, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the nation was “united in insufferable grief. Each dwelling in Israel bows its head right this moment.
“All of us rage over the monsters of Hamas,” he stated.
A lawyer for Dr Sharone Lifschitz, the British-based daughter of Oded Lifschitz, stated the day was “one in every of immense disappointment, and of failure.”
Early on Thursday morning, in choreographed scenes paying homage to latest handovers of dwelling hostages, 4 black coffins have been laid out on a stage decked with propaganda in Khan Younis in southern Gaza in entrance of crowds of spectators.
One of many backdrops depicted a ghoulish picture of Benjamin Netanyahu with fangs looming over an image of the 4 hostages once they have been alive. One other learn: “The Return of the Struggle = The Return of your Prisoners in Coffins”.
A kind of current, Ikram Abu Salout, instructed the RAYNAE she was in opposition to handing over the our bodies. “They did not take away the rubble and we do not even know the place our youngsters and households are.”
A Crimson Cross official appeared to signal paperwork at a desk alongside armed Hamas fighters earlier than the 4 coffins transferred to automobiles belonging to the humanitarian organisation.
United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stated the handover was “abhorrent and merciless, and flies within the face of worldwide regulation”.
“We urge that every one returns are performed in privateness, and with respect and care,” he added.
The Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross echoed his phrases, saying: “These operations must be completed privately out of the utmost respect for the deceased and for these left grieving.”
After the handover, the our bodies have been transferred to Israeli forces in Gaza and delivered to Israel. Folks – many with Israeli flags and yellow ones representing the hostages – lined the streets as a police convoy with the coffins handed by. The our bodies have been taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Jaffa, Israel, for post-mortems.
The Bibas household, and Oded Lifschtiz and his spouse, have been amongst residents taken from kibbutz Nir Oz when lots of of Hamas gunmen burst by way of the border with Israel and attacked communities, safety forces websites and a music pageant.
EPAAbout 1,200 folks – principally civilians – have been killed within the assault and 251 others taken again to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched an enormous navy marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in response, which has killed no less than 48,297 Palestinians – primarily civilians – in response to the Hamas-run well being ministry.
Yarden Bibas, 35, was launched on 1 February together with two different hostages as a part of an alternate for 183 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Oded Lifschitz, a retired journalist, had been held by the armed Palestinian group Islamic Jihad. His spouse Yocheved was freed by Hamas on 23 October 2023.
The discharge of hostages’ our bodies was agreed as a part of the ceasefire deal which got here into impact on 19 January. Israel has confirmed there will likely be eight.
The 2 sides agreed to alternate 33 hostages for about 1,900 prisoners by the top of the primary six weeks of the ceasefire.
Talks on progressing to the following part of the deal – underneath which the remaining dwelling hostages can be launched and the conflict would finish completely – have been as a result of begin earlier this month however haven’t but begun.
Twenty-eight hostages and greater than 1,000 prisoners have to this point been exchanged.
Sixty-six hostages taken on 7 October are nonetheless being held in Gaza. Three different hostages, taken greater than a decade in the past, are additionally being held. About half of all of the hostages nonetheless in Gaza are believed to be alive.
