Hamas handed over the bodies of Israeli infant Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel, along with their mother Shiri Bibas, under the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached last month. The four deceased hostages were among the most potent symbols of the trauma inflicted on Israel during Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed some 1,200 people.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog described the handover as a “terrible day” and expressed his sorrow for not being able to protect the hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced criticism over the major security breach, but successive surveys show broad support among the public for the ceasefire.
The return of bodies marks the first step in fulfilling a pledge made by Hamas under the ceasefire agreement. Six living hostages are expected to be returned on Saturday in exchange for hundreds more Palestinians. Negotiations for a second phase, covering the release of around 60 remaining hostages and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, are set to begin.
However, prospects for deal on further hostage releases and future Gaza governance remain uncertain. The US President Donald Trump’s call for Palestinians to be resettled outside Gaza has been met with criticism that it amounts to a war crime and ethnic cleansing.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-prepares-receive-bodies-youngest-gaza-hostages-2025-02-20