TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The remains of captives seized by Hamas during the Gaza Strip attack are set to be returned on Thursday, according to an Israeli official. The handover, part of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, will include the bodies of a mother and her two young children, as well as a retired journalist in his 80s.
The captives, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, aged 4 years and 9 months respectively, along with their mother Shiri, were taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023. The family has become a symbol of the plight of those taken captive, with their fate remaining uncertain for much of the war.
Oded Lifshitz, 83 when abducted, will also have his body returned. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed deep sorrow over the situation, stating that the nation's heart breaks.
Hamas has claimed that all four were killed in Israeli airstrikes, while Israel had expressed concern for the Bibas family's lives. Hamas has announced the return of the bodies and the release of six living Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The Bibas family was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, with Yarden Bibas, the husband and father, being freed earlier. Lifshitz, a journalist advocating for Palestinian rights and peace, was one of the oldest hostages taken by Hamas.
The release of the six living hostages on Saturday will accelerate the ceasefire deal, with Israel expected to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including those serving life sentences for deadly attacks. The first phase of the deal also includes the release of all women and children seized from Gaza since the war began.
