Oded Lifshitz, along with Shiri Bibas and her two children, are set to be brought back to Israel.
Hamas handed over the bodies of four hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza on Thursday as part of its ongoing ceasefire agreement with Israel.
During a formal ceremony in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, representatives from the Red Cross received four black coffins. A Hamas commander and a Red Cross official were present to sign documents marking the transfer, while the coffins were displayed prominently.
A banner on the stage read in both Arabic and English: “The Return of War = The Return of Your Prisoners in Coffins.”
In a joint statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) confirmed that the Red Cross had communicated the handover of four caskets containing the remains of hostages. These caskets were subsequently transported to IDF and ISA personnel within the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement confirming the receipt of the bodies. “The families of the abductees have been notified, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them during this painful time,” the statement said.
“We urge the public to respect the privacy of the families and to refrain from sharing unverified or unofficial information,” it added.
Israel and Hamas have confirmed the identities of four individuals who will be returned to Israel on Thursday: Oded Lifshitz, a journalist and peace activist, along with Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Once the remains arrive in Israel, officials will conduct forensic examinations to confirm their identities.
During the transfer, Hamas released a statement, saying: “To the families of Bibas and Lifshitz: We would have preferred to return your loved ones alive, but your army and government leaders chose otherwise, leading to their deaths instead of securing their release.”
The statement went on to say, “Along with them, 17,881 Palestinian children were also killed in the brutal bombardment of Gaza, and we believe you understand who is truly responsible for this tragedy. You have suffered under a leadership that does not value its own people.”
Kfir Bibas was only 8 ½ months old when Hamas took him on October 7, 2023—the youngest of the 251 individuals kidnapped during the group’s deadly assault on Israel.
That day was the deadliest in the country’s history. Since the war began, more than 48,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in Gaza.
Oded Lifshitz’s wife, Yocheved, was among the first hostages freed as part of the initial ceasefire agreement in November 2023. Following Thursday’s release, 69 hostages remain in Gaza.
“At this painful moment, we stand with the mourning families,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Hostages Family Forum v
Oded Lifshitz’s wife, Yocheved, was one of the first hostages released under the initial ceasefire agreement in November 2023. After Thursday’s release, there are still 69 hostages remaining in Gaza.
“At this painful moment, we stand with the mourning families,” stated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Hostage Families Forum called for the immediate start of the second phase of the three-stage ceasefire, stressing that “there is no time to lose.” This phase, which is planned to last 42 days, would see Israel completely withdraw its troops from Gaza.
Furthermore, both Hamas and Israel have consented to a permanent cessation of military actions and hostilities before the remaining Israeli hostages—both civilians and soldiers—are released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
We have received the devastating news that Shiri Bibas, along with her children Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz, have tragically lost their lives. This profound loss affects not only their families but also resonates deeply with people around the world, as expressed in a statement from the families of the hostages on Wednesday.
The statement went on to say, “We grieve not just for them, but also for the other beloved lives that have been lost, including four additional deceased hostages whose remains are set to be returned next week.”
On Saturday, six more hostages are anticipated to be released, while the bodies of four others will be repatriated to Israel next week. Israeli officials and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum have identified those scheduled for release on Saturday as Eliya Cohen, 27; Tal Shoham, 40; Omer Shem Tov, 22; Omer Wenkrat, 23; Hisham Al-Sayed, 36; and Avera Mengistu, 39.
Discussions to set the terms for the second phase of the ceasefire have not yet started, but mediators are striving to kick off talks as soon as possible to ensure there is enough time for discussions before the second phase is scheduled to begin, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry on Tuesday. The first phase is anticipated to last 42 days.
Hamas has accused Israel of delaying negotiations and asserts that it is ready to participate in talks.
Last week, Hamas cautioned that it would pause hostage releases over the weekend, claiming that Israel was not meeting its obligations under the ceasefire by postponing the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza.
Nevertheless, Hamas later confirmed that the exchange would go ahead as planned and released three hostages this past Saturday.
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