The Prime Minister's office announced on Wednesday that Israel has received the list of hostages who died in captivity whose bodies are due to be released on Thursday, pursuant to the framework of the agreement with Hamas.
The four murdered hostages who will be returned are Shiri Bibas, her young sons, Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz.
The Prime Minister's Office stated that the Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch has updated the families of the hostages via the representatives of the IDF.
"At this difficult hour, our hearts are with the grieving families. Additional credible information will be provided as needed, and we request to refrain from disseminating rumors and unofficial information," the Prime Minister's Office stated.
The Hamas terrorists are expected to hand the bodies over to the Red Cross at around 8:00 a.m. local time in the Bani Suheila area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. According to reports, Hamas plans to hold a ceremony in which the bodies will be handed over to the Red Cross.
After the deceased are transferred to the IDF, a military ceremony in their honor will be held in the Gaza Strip. From there, the caskets will be taken on IDF vehicles with a police escort to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for an identification process which is expected to take up to 48 hours.
Shiri Bibas, 33 years old, was from Nir Oz. On the morning of October 7th, 2023, the Bibas family gathered in the bomb shelter after they heard the sirens. Until about 9:40 a.m., the father, Yarden, had been writing to his sister and family members telling them that the "situation is bad. By 10:00 Shiri and her two sons, nine-month-old Kfir and four-year-old Ariel, were abducted by terrorists on a quad bike. After that, the three were loaded onto a pickup truck which took them to the eastern part of Khan Yunis.
According to the information known to the IDF, they were held by terrorists from the Ktaib Mujahideen group. The footage of Shiri and the boys' abduction was published on the day of the massacre itself and the sight of young children being abducted set off shock waves. When the first hostage deal, which mostly included women and children, was signed, there was much hope that Shiri and her boys' names would be among those released, but they were not. After the disappointment, the extended family stated: "We are currently experiencing moments of great uncertainty. The understanding that we won't get the hug that we waited for, leaves us speechless."
The family of Oded Lifshitz commented: "These hours are not easy for us after we were informed that our beloved Oded is on the list of the deceased hostages who will return to Israel after he was abducted alive from his home in Nir Oz.
"For 502 days we hoped and prayed for a different ending, but until we get total confirmation, our journey is not over, and even after that, we will continue fighting until the last hostage is returned."
Oded Lifshitz plays piano
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum commented: "We received the heart-shattering news that Shiri Bibas, her children Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz are no longer with us. This news cuts like a knife through our hearts, the families’ hearts, and the hearts of people all over the world."
It noted that Oded was a journalist and peace activist who helped found Kibbutz Nir Oz. "He dedicated his life to helping others and transporting sick Gazans to Israeli hospitals, and his grandchildren called him 'Super Grandpa" for his wisdom and love."
Shiri was a dedicated mother and accountant, known for her boundless kindness, who nurtured and cared for all the kibbutz children. "She touched everyone's heart with her capacity for giving and love for others. Ariel, just four years old when kidnapped, loved Batman and playing with tractors in the garden. Baby Kfir, not even one-year-old when taken, had gorgeous red hair and a smile that could melt any person," the forum eulogized.
It added: "They weren't just names - they were beloved people, with families who cherished them, with dreams and futures stolen from them."
"We grieve not only for them but for the other precious lives lost, including four more deceased hostages who will be returned next week."
"We will not rest. We will not stop fighting for every hostage who isn't part of the current deal - for those still alive, clinging to survival, desperate to return to their loved ones and begin healing. And for those we know are deceased - their families deserve the dignity of closure, the basic right to give their loved ones a proper burial.
"This cannot continue. Not one more day. The second stage of the deal must happen NOW. There is no more time to waste. Not when every passing moment could mean another life lost, another family shattered. Bring them all home - NOW."
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement: "Tomorrow will be a very difficult day for the State of Israel. A wrenching day, a day of grief. We are bringing home four of our beloved hostages, deceased.
He continued: "We embrace the families, and the heart of the entire nation is torn. My own heart is torn. So is yours. And all of the world's heart should be torn, because this demonstrates who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with — with such monsters.
"We are grieving, we are in pain, but we are also determined to ensure that such a thing never happens again," the Prime Minister said.