Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation after Hamas returned the wrong body as part of the ceasefire agreement. The body, initially claimed to be that of Shiri Bibas, the mother of two young boys, was later identified as an unidentified woman from Gaza.
Hamas acknowledged the mix-up, citing possible confusion due to Israeli airstrikes, and said it had no interest in retaining bodies. Netanyahu condemned Hamas for violating the agreement and promised to bring Bibas home. Despite the incident, Hamas confirmed it would proceed with the release of six living hostages on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The Bibas family, whose members were taken hostage during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, have become symbols of the hostage crisis. While Hamas claimed Bibas and her children were killed in Israeli strikes, Israel asserts they were executed by their captors.
