“The hearts of a complete 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 had 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 dwelling safely”.
It’s the first time Hamas has returned captives lifeless for the reason that ceasefire started final month.
Six dwelling hostages are as a consequence of be freed on Saturday.
The information that Shiri Bibas, 33, and her sons, who would now be aged 5 and two, had been lifeless 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 dwelling in Israel bows its head right this moment.
“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 “one in every of immense disappointment, and of failure.”
Early on Thursday morning, in choreographed scenes harking back to current handovers of dwelling hostages, 4 black coffins had 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 had been alive. One other learn: “The Return of the Warfare = The Return of your Prisoners in Coffins”.
A kind of current, Ikram Abu Salout, informed the BBC 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 Pink 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 legislation”.
“We urge that each one returns are carried out in privateness, and with respect and care,” he added.
The Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross echoed his phrases, saying: “These operations needs to be accomplished privately out of the utmost respect for the deceased and for these left grieving.”
After the handover, the our bodies had been transferred to Israeli forces in Gaza and dropped at Israel. Individuals – 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, had been amongst residents taken from kibbutz Nir Oz when a whole lot of Hamas gunmen burst via the border with Israel and attacked communities, safety forces websites and a music competition.
EPAAbout 1,200 individuals – largely civilians – had 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 a minimum of 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 tip of the primary six weeks of the ceasefire.
Talks on progressing to the subsequent part of the deal – beneath which the remaining dwelling hostages can be launched and the warfare would finish completely – had been as a consequence of begin earlier this month however haven’t but begun.
Twenty-eight hostages and greater than 1,000 prisoners have to this point 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.
