“The hearts of a whole nation lie in tatters,” Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has mentioned, 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 kids from the Bibas household, whose unknown destiny has gripped Israel. Israel has confirmed solely the id of the fourth – Oded Lifschitz, 84, a veteran peace activist – after a forensic examination.
President Herzog wrote “there are not any phrases” in a publish on social media platform X, asking the 4 for forgiveness “for not bringing you house safely”.
It’s the first time Hamas has returned captives useless for the reason that ceasefire started final month.
Six residing hostages are because of be freed on Saturday.
The information that Shiri Bibas, 33, and her sons, who would now be aged 5 and two, have been useless 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 mentioned the nation was “united in insufferable grief. Each house in Israel bows its head at this time.
“All of us rage over the monsters of Hamas,” he mentioned.
A lawyer for Dr Sharone Lifschitz, the British-based daughter of Oded Lifschitz, mentioned the day was “considered one of immense unhappiness, and of failure.”
Early on Thursday morning, in choreographed scenes harking back to current handovers of residing 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 after 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, advised the NEWSTORN 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 kids and households are.”
A Purple 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 mentioned 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.
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 means of the border with Israel and attacked communities, safety forces websites and a music competition.
EPAAbout 1,200 individuals – largely civilians – have been killed within the assault and 251 others taken again to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched a large navy marketing campaign in opposition to Hamas in response, which has killed no less than 48,297 Palestinians – primarily civilians – in keeping with the Hamas-run well being ministry.
Yarden Bibas, 35, was launched on 1 February together with two different hostages as a part of an change 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 shall be eight.
The 2 sides agreed to change 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 residing hostages could be launched and the conflict would finish completely – have been because of begin earlier this month however haven’t but begun.
Twenty-eight hostages and greater than 1,000 prisoners have up to now 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.
