Israel said Friday that Hamas had violated the hostage release agreement by failing to return Shiri Bibas. The Bibas family was informed that she was not among the four bodies transferred Thursday to Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir.
“The body of the woman was examined multiple times, with several cross-checks. It does not match the DNA of any hostage and was also found with clothing. Multiple experts reviewed the findings repeatedly,” the IDF said.
3 View gallery
A protest in London over the death of several Israeli hostages
(Photo: AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Following the breach of the agreement, the IDF stressed, “Our demand to Hamas is clear—return Shiri Bibas. This message is being conveyed directly to Hamas and will also be released publicly in English and Arabic.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The military confirmed that the identification of Kfir and Ariel Bibas was swift and conclusive. “We can say with certainty that they were murdered in a brutal manner, a fact supported by intelligence,” the IDF said.
Officials emphasized that Israel would make sure the world knows “the baby and the child were murdered based on solid intelligence, not just forensic examination. Jund al-Sham, an extremist Salafi group, held the Bibas family, and their murder took place in November 2023.”
The United States has been briefed on the findings, which Israel described as “evidence of a horrific and brutal murder.” The IDF said the forensic identification process was thorough and included determining the causes of death. “Oded Lifshitz was murdered, and so were Ariel and Kfir,” the statement said.
Despite the violation, Israel said the next phase of the hostage release deal would continue as planned. Six living hostages to be released on Saturday and five bodies next week, Shiri Bibas not included.
Israel’s Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, Gal Hirsch, arrived at Kfar Maccabiah overnight with IDF officials to update the Bibas family. Later, he held an urgent call with Adam Boehler, the U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs, to brief him on the latest developments.
Israel has sent urgent messages to mediators, demanding Hamas uphold the deal. “We don’t know why they did this. This is a gross violation,” an Israeli official said. “We are demanding her return. It is critical that Saturday’s exchange proceeds as scheduled.”
Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon condemned Hamas’ actions, saying, “Hamas not only murdered Ariel and Kfir Bibas in cold blood—a four-year-old child and a ten-month-old baby—but continues to violate every basic moral principle even after their deaths. There are no words to describe such horror.”
“Instead of returning Shiri, Hamas sent an anonymous body, as if it were a worthless shipment,” Danon said. “This is a new level of evil—unmatched cruelty.”
He called on the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council, and the General Assembly to “break their silence in the face of Hamas’ brutality.” Israel, he said, “demands a clear and unequivocal condemnation of this heinous crime and an urgent call for Shiri’s return to her family. History will remember who stood by in silence while Hamas trampled on human dignity.”
As part of the next phase of the deal, six living hostages are expected to be freed Saturday. They include Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, along with four hostages classified as ill or wounded—Omer Wenkert, Elia Cohen, Tal Shahem, and Omer Shem Tov.