Abdelrahman
Hamas has announced plans to return the remains of four hostages on Thursday, including the two youngest victims held by the militant group. Negotiator Khalil al-Hayya revealed that among those to be handed over are members of the Bibas family: Shiri, and her young children, Kfir and Ariel, who were just nine months and four years old when they were abducted during the assault on October 7, 2023.
According to Hamas, the three family members are alleged to have died as a result of Israeli airstrikes, a claim that Israel has not verified. Previously, the children’s father, Yarden, was released by Hamas earlier this month.
In a development on Saturday, Hamas indicated that they would also free six living hostages, a significant increase from the initial number planned for release. This arrangement comes as Israel has agreed to release all women and individuals under 19 who have been detained since last October and will permit some construction equipment for clearing rubble to enter Gaza through the Egyptian border.
Al-Hayya further clarified that the transfer of the four bodies, including those of the Bibas family, is scheduled for Thursday, February 20. The group previously stated that the Bibas family members had died in an Israeli airstrike, although they did not provide corroborating evidence, and the Israeli Defense Forces have expressed serious concerns for their safety without confirming the specifics.
According to an Israeli official, the remains of the deceased hostages will need to be identified in Israel before any further information is released. The Bibas family has acknowledged the announcement made by Hamas, stating that they are in emotional turmoil over the reported return of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir. They noted that, as of now, they have not received any official confirmation regarding the situation. “Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over,” the family emphasized.
Hamas has also mentioned two of the six Israeli hostages planned for release on Saturday: Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, both of whom entered Gaza voluntarily in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Israeli officials have indicated that both individuals were facing mental health challenges at the time of their abduction.
Families of other hostages have expressed hope that their loved ones might also be released on that day. This includes individuals taken from the Nova Festival on October 7: Omer Shem Tov (22), Eliya Cohen (27), Omer Wenkert (23), and Tal Shoam (40), who was captured from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in exchange for Israel’s commitment to free approximately 1,900 Palestinian detainees. Discussions to advance to the second phase—which would involve the release of the remaining living hostages and a permanent ceasefire—were initially slated to begin earlier this month but have yet to commence.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated that talks would take place “this week.” He stated that Israel does not accept the ongoing presence of Hamas or other terrorist organizations in Gaza, but is open to extending the ceasefire if negotiations yield positive results. “If we see constructive dialogue with a potential path to an agreement, we will consider lengthening this time-frame,” Saar commented.
Currently, 73 hostages remain in Gaza, comprising both Israeli soldiers and civilians, along with nationals from Thailand and Nepal. Following Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 individuals were killed, around 251 hostages were taken. In retaliation, Israel launched a military offensive that, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-led health ministry, claimed 47,460 Palestinian lives and caused extensive devastation across the region.
