Shiri Bibas’ body returned to Israel in SECOND attempt, Hamas claims, after sending wrong remains in sick mix-up

HAMAS has handed over the body of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas, Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television said on Friday, citing the group’s senior official Mahmoud Mardwai.

It comes after the IDF announced they couldn’t identify the body Hamas said belonged to Shiri after the twisted handover ceremony.

Shiri’s husband Yarden was snatched along with their children Kfir and Ariel

Shiri Bibas was kidnapped from her home in Israel

Masked militants carrying the coffin they claimed contained the remains of Shiri Bibas

Hamas handed over the bodies of Shiri’s 9-month-old Kfir and four-year-old Arie as well as a casket believed to contain the remains of Shiri.

But hours after the initial twisted handover ceremony, the IDF announced they couldn’t identify the body as Shiri’s.

The evil group said it was investigating a possible error in identifying the human remains handed to Israel instead of Shiri.

A Hamas senior official Ismail al-Thawabteh said Shiri’s body was “turned into pieces” in an Israeli airstrike – which Israel vehemently denies ever took place – and may have been “mixed with other bodies under the rubble”.

A statement by Hamas said the group was dealing with the claims with “complete seriousness” and it would announce the results “clearly”. 

A member of Hamas’s political bureau, Basem Naim, blamed “unfortunate mistakes” adding that Hamas has no interest in keeping any bodies or not to abide by the signed agreements.

They claimed that the casket which Hamas said belonged to the mum actually contained “an anonymous, unidentified” person with “no match” found for any other hostage.

The harrowing statement from the IDF added that it was a “violation of utmost severity” by Hamas.

They demanded the terror group “return Shiri home along with all our hostages” immediately.

The heinous move by the terror group to allegedly lie about the handover has been widely condemned.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as an “unspeakable” act which shows “the cruelty of the Hamas monsters know no bounds”.

He added in a video statement: “We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages – both living and dead – and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement.”

Netanyahu also claimed the body handed over at the twisted parade on Thursday morning belonged to an unknown Gazan woman.

Hamas reportedly attempted to explain their way out of the fury by claiming the remains belonged to the mum as well as a mixture of other human remnants.

A Hamas official told AFP they are investigating the “mistake”.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon quickly slammed the Palestinian militants as he said they treated the coffin like a “worthless shipment”.

“This is a new low, an evil and cruelty with no parallel,” he said in a statement.

“There are no words that can describe such an atrocity.”

Shiri’s face became a symbol of the horrors of October 7, when she and the children were taken by Hamas

AP

Four coffins were displayed on a makeshift stage with a disturbing poster acting as a backdrop for the twisted parade[/caption]

Instagram/b.netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed Hamas will pay[/caption]

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the killing of the two children, which Hamas denies, and the failure to return Shiri’s body was “sick”.

“The vile killing of the Bibas children by Hamas terrorists is sick and abhorrent, as is the failure to return the body of their mother Shiri to the grieving family,” the Foreign Secretary posted on X.

“Her body must be returned. The hostages must be released. This nightmare must end.”

US president Donald Trump’s envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, said the stunt now puts the ceasefire deal into serious jeopardy.

He warned Hamas must release all the remaining hostages or face “total annihilation”.

Shiri’s despairing face as she was kidnapped while clutching her two children became a symbol for the horror of the October 7 massacre.

The IDF say they have managed to identify the bodies of Shiri’s young sons, Ariel and Kfir as well as retired Israeli journalist Oded Lifshitz.

The apparent causes of the deaths were also revealed.

According to the IDF, citing intelligence and forensic findings, the two little boys were “brutally murdered” by the Hamas thugs in November 2023.

So was Lifshitz who had originally been kidnapped alongside his wife.

Baby Kfir – the youngest captive – was only nine months old when he was barbarically forced to spend the majority of his life as a Hamas prisoner. 

Israel say he likely died when he was only 11 months old.

The official flag of Israel has been turned orange on social media in honour of the brothers due to their ginger hair.

The IDF confirmed that while Hamas’ violation would be “dealt with severely,” Saturday’s prisoner swap is expected to go ahead as planned.

At least 66 hostages still remain captive in Gaza over 500 days on from the initial bloodshed with those who died in captivity finally being returned to their loved ones.

Only half are believed to be still alive, Israel fears.

A top Hamas official said another six living hostages will be freed on Saturday before another set of bodies are returned.

The six are said to be the last living hostages Hamas will release during the first phase of the fragile ceasefire agreement.

They are Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Hisham Al-Sayed, and Avera Mengistu, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Baby Kfir was the youngest hostage taken by Hamas on October 7

Ariel Bibas pictured before he was kidnapped by Hamas

Reuters

Heartbroken Israelis were left in tears after the hostages were handed over[/caption]