A senior official in the Prime Minister's Office acknowledged Wednesday that the premature announcement regarding the return of the bodies of hostages Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas was the result of a "grave mistake" by IDF liaison officers.
The statement came after Ofri Bibas-Levy, sister of former hostage Yarden Bibas, publicly denied that the family had received confirmation of their loved ones' deaths at the time. The official attributed the error to "an unfortunate human mistake," explaining that officers had approved releasing the names to reporters despite lacking formal confirmation from the family.
"At no point was an official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office with the names of the fallen hostages," the official added. The government has urged caution in sharing unverified information as efforts continue to account for hostages held in Gaza.