The Bibas are “shocked” by Hamas’ announcement that it will hand over the bodies

The relatives of Yarden Bibas, who was released on February 1 in the Gaza Strip, said they were “shocked” by Hamas’ announcement that on Thursday it would remove the lifeless bodies of his wife, Shiri Silberman, and his two sons, Ariel and Kfir, captured on October 7, 2023.

“In the past few hours, we have been shocked by the announcement by Hamas spokesman about the return of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir this Thursday as part of the phase of the release of the hostages' bodies,” the relatives said in a message shared by the Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons.

The Bibas said they are aware of the announcement but have not yet received any official confirmation of the deaths of Shiri and the children. “Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over,” they added.

The Hamas terrorist group confirmed on Tuesday that it will hand over the bodies of the Bibas family next Thursday as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The two children and their mother were kidnapped along with their father, Yarden Bibas, who was released alive on February 1 after 484 days in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

His release was one of the most shocking moments of the truce, since, Under the terms of the deal, Hamas was to give priority to women and living children in its weekly hostage releases.

The terrorist group had already assured in November 2023, shortly after the first truce of the war, that all three had died, but Israel never confirmed their deaths.

The Bibas, of Argentine and Peruvian origin, and especially little Kfir, who was kidnapped before he was nine months old, had become a symbol of Israelis captured by Hamas in its October 7, 2023 attacks.

Kfir and Ariel are the only two kidnapped minors still in Gaza. The rest were released during the previous truce in November 2023, in which Hamas handed over 105 captive civilians.

Along with the bodies of the Bibas, Hamas is expected to hand over the bodies of a fourth hostage on Thursday, whose identity has not yet been made public.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with his government's security cabinet yesterday to discuss how to approach the second phase of the agreement with Hamas, which would see the release of the remaining live hostages and a definitive ceasefire in Gaza.