Hamas said it is investigating a possible mistake in the identity of the body of one of the Israeli hostages handed over to Israel as part of a ceasefire deal.
The announcement followed an outburst by Israeli authorities stating that the body meant to be that of a hostage, Shiri Bibas, was that of an unidentified woman.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas was expected to return the remains of Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, along with those of a fourth hostage, Oded Lifshitz.
However, while the identities of the boys and Lifshitz were confirmed, Israeli specialists found that the fourth body did not belong to Bibas, who was abducted alongside her family during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
In a statement by Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, the group said “unfortunate mistakes” could occur, especially as Israeli bombings in Gaza had buried under the rubble, the bodies of thousands of Israeli hostages and Palestinians.
“We confirm that it is not in our values or our interest to keep any bodies or not to abide by the covenants and agreements that we sign,” Naim said.
The militant group vowed to investigate the Israeli assertions and announce the results.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu issued a threat of retaliation, accusing Hamas of violating the ceasefire deal.
“We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages – both living and dead – and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement,” he said in a video statement,
According to him, Hamas was acting “in an unspeakably cynical manner” by placing the body of a Gaza woman in the coffin instead of Bibas.
Hamas said in November 2023 that the children and their mother had been killed in an Israeli air strike, blaming Netanyahu for her death.
Hamas has agreed to release six living hostages on Saturday in exchange for 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Both Hamas and Israel have accused each other of ceasefire violations.
The International Committee of the Red Cross also criticised the public nature of the body handover, saying such transfers should have been conducted privately and with dignity.
Israel is reportedly considering extending the 42-day ceasefire before resuming the second phase, which would involve complex negotiations on ending the war and determining Hamas’ future role in Gaza.
