Israel's national forensic center has confirmed that the body of an Israeli hostage handed over by Hamas late Friday was that of Shiri Bibas, according to Israeli media reports on Saturday. The Red Cross retrieved her body from Gaza before transferring it to the Israeli military. Following forensic testing, the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute verified that the remains belonged to Bibas, as reported by the Jerusalem Post andChannel 12. However, Israeli authorities have not yet released an official statement regarding the identification. Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza had earlier handed over the remains of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, including Bibas, her two children, Kfir and Ariel, and captive Oded Lifshitz. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later alleged that Hamas had mistakenly returned the body of another woman instead of Bibas. In response, Hamas stated that an error or mix-up could have occurred due to Israeli bombardment in Gaza. The ceasefire agreement, which took effect on January 19, halted Israel's military operations that began on October 7, 2023. The war has resulted in the deaths of more than 48,000 people, mostly women and children, and has left Gaza in devastation. — Agencies
