As the deadline for the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas approached, tensions escalated over the release of four dead Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israel had delayed the release of prisoners in protest of what it deemed as the cruel treatment of hostages by Hamas during previous exchanges.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office cited Hamas's violations, including ceremonies that humiliated the hostages, as reasons for the delay. The situation worsened when Hamas initially handed over bodies that were misidentified, leading to further mistrust between the two parties.
Hamas claimed that the hostages were killed in an Israeli airstrike, while Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari insisted that the hostages were killed by their captors. The conflicting narratives added to the already strained relations between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement by delaying the prisoner release and insisted that further talks would not proceed until the Palestinians were freed. However, Hamas later announced that they would hand over the bodies of the Israeli hostages as a gesture of goodwill.
Thousands of Israelis gathered to pay their respects as the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children were transported for burial. The family was kidnapped from their home in October 2023, with the father being released earlier during the ceasefire.
The bodies of the hostages will be laid to rest on Kibbutz Nir Oz, marking a somber end to a tragic chapter in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
