The Israeli military has confirmed that one of the four bodies returned from Gaza on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, a hostage claimed by Hamas to have been killed.
The news of Shiri Bibas, 33, and her sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2, being dead caused widespread grief in Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed the Bibas family that the remains of Ariel and Kfir had been identified, but the third body returned was not their mother's.
Hamas has not responded to Israel's statement.
The IDF posted on X: "During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body."
They criticized Hamas, stating, "This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages."
Shiri Bibas and her children were kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, while her husband, Yarden Bibas, 34, was released on February 1, 2025.
Israel confirmed that the fourth body returned was Oded Lifshitz, a veteran peace activist.
The release of bodies was part of a ceasefire deal that began on January 19, under which both sides agreed to exchange hostages and prisoners. So far, 28 hostages and over 1,000 prisoners have been exchanged. Talks for the next phase of the deal, aiming for the release of remaining hostages and a permanent end to the conflict, have not progressed.
As of now, 66 hostages taken on October 7 and three long-held hostages remain in Gaza. Approximately half are believed to be alive.
The Hamas attacks killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, on October 7, while at least 48,297 Palestinians, primarily civilians, have been killed in Israel's military campaign, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
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