CNN
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On Thursday, Hamas returned the remains of four Israeli hostages who had been held in Gaza, marking the first instance of the group releasing deceased captives since October 7, 2023.

Among the returned bodies is that of Shiri Bibas, who was 32 when she, along with her sons Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months, was abducted from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas militants more than 16 months ago.

The two children have become emblematic figures of the October 7 terrorist attacks, with this initial return of the hostages’ remains representing an incredibly poignant and sorrowful moment for Israel.

The fourth individual returned is Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 years old at the time of his kidnapping alongside his wife, Yocheved, from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Yocheved had been released by Hamas on October 24, 2023.

Prior to the handover, Hamas militants displayed four black coffins on a stage in Khan Younis, flanked by a propaganda backdrop adorned with slogans in Arabic, Hebrew, and English.

A representative from the Red Cross was observed documenting the event on stage before the coffins were transported to waiting vehicles. White screens were erected to shield the coffins from public view while they were being loaded, as hundreds of militants and onlookers gathered nearby.

In November 2023, Hamas asserted that Shiri and her children died in an Israeli airstrike, a claim made without substantiating evidence. Israel has not confirmed the deaths of the Bibas family members.

Following the recent hostage release, the children’s father, Yarden Bibas, was freed by Hamas after spending 484 days in captivity. He was among the 19 Israeli hostages liberated during the January 2025 ceasefire agreement.

The remains are set to be transported to the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for further examination.

Previously, the Israeli military had retrieved the remains of multiple hostages from Gaza.

At just 9 months old, Kfir was the youngest captured hostage in Gaza and tragically, the youngest to perish. A heartwarming photo featuring him clutching a pink elephant toy and smiling widely has circulated globally in various campaigns and protests.

Ariel, aged 4 at the time of the incident, was frequently depicted in images taken shortly after his haircut, still draped in the hairdresser’s cape. Earlier family photographs showcased Ariel, a devoted Batman fan, with long red hair.

The image of Kfir has been displayed prominently on large screens in New York City’s Times Square, printed on shirts worn by demonstrators in London, Berlin, and other cities, and even featured at the World Economic Forum in Davos by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

A video capturing the Bibas family’s abduction has become a powerful symbol of the violence of the October 7 attacks, showing a frightened Shiri tightly holding her children, who were wrapped in a blanket, with Ariel still clutching his pacifier.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently released another video purportedly showing Shiri and her sons alive in southern Gaza on October 7. The footage displayed an individual swaddled in a blanket carrying a child, being instructed by armed militants before being taken away in a vehicle.

The Bibas family, along with their mother, were not released from Gaza during the temporary truce in late November 2023, despite an agreement between Israel and Hamas that included the release of all women and children.

At that time, the IDF stated that they believed the family was in the custody of other militant factions, not Hamas.

Shortly after the claim, Hamas announced that the two Bibas children and their mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike, although no proof was offered. Israel never acknowledged their deaths.

Just days later, Hamas released a video of Yarden, the father, in which he held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for the deaths of his wife and children.

Yarden appeared visibly distraught in the video and was likely under pressure to speak as he did.

In a statement released shortly after his own liberation, Yarden called on the global community to “continue striving” to secure the return of all hostages.

“Unfortunately, my family hasn’t returned to me yet. They remain there. My light is still absent, and until they return, everything here feels dark. I am grateful for your efforts in bringing me home – please assist in restoring my light,” he remarked, addressing the Israeli public.

The lead-up to the release of the four bodies was tainted by the Bibas family’s outrage directed towards the Israeli Prime Minister’s office, which had disclosed the names without seeking their consent.

A representative from the Prime Minister’s office informed CNN that while no official announcement of the deceased hostages’ names was made, IDF liaison officers had approved sharing the identities with reporters without prior consultation with the family.

The forum later issued a statement at the request of the Bibas family, asking the public not to “eulogize our loved ones until there is confirmation following final identification.” This confirmation is anticipated in the coming days.

In a statement made the day before the release, Lifshitz’s family expressed, “These are trying times for us, after being informed that our beloved Oded is included among those who will return to Israel tomorrow after being taken alive from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.”

This story is still developing. More updates to follow…