Hamas planned to release six more hostages from Gaza on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. This came after Israel confirmed that a body handed over earlier in the day belonged to Shiri Bibas, a hostage captured by Hamas.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas faced a major setback when a body mistakenly identified as Bibas was released on Thursday. Bibas, along with her two young sons and husband, was kidnapped during Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, on Friday night, Hamas handed over another body, which was later confirmed to be hers.
Read more: Hamas Hands Over Bodies of Four Deceased Israeli Hostages to Tel Aviv
“Our Shiri has returned home,” her family stated, confirming that Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine had identified the remains.
Meanwhile, armed Hamas militants assembled at two locations in Rafah and Nuseirat, where six hostages were expected to be handed over to the Red Cross. These hostages were part of the last group among the 33 who were set to be released under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which took effect on January 19.
Among the six hostages, four—Eliya Cohen (27), Tal Shoham (40), Omer Shem Tov (22), and Omer Wenkert (23)—were abducted during the October 7 attack. The other two, Hisham Al-Sayed (36) and Avera Mengistu (39), had been held by Hamas for nearly a decade after crossing into Gaza under unclear circumstances.
In return, Israel agreed to free 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of the ongoing exchange.
The Bibas family became a powerful symbol of Israel’s suffering following the attack. The misidentification of Shiri Bibas’ body and Hamas’ staged handover of coffins sparked outrage in Israel. Her husband, Yarden Bibas, who was taken separately, was freed on February 1.
Israeli intelligence and forensic analysis concluded that 10-month-old Kfir Bibas and his four-year-old brother Ariel were deliberately killed by their captors. Reports from Israel’s Army Radio suggested that their mother, Shiri, was likely murdered alongside them. “Our Shiri was killed in captivity and has now returned home to rest with her sons, husband, sister, and entire family,” her relatives said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to make Hamas “pay the full price” for failing to return Bibas’ body. However, he did not pull back from the ceasefire agreement, which had been in place since January 19.
Hamas, accusing Israel of violating the truce by obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza, officially informed Israeli authorities of the names of the hostages to be released, confirming that the exchange would proceed as planned.
Although the ceasefire temporarily halted the fighting, there is no clear path to ending the war. Hamas, which killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in its October attack, has sought to maintain control over Gaza despite suffering heavy losses.
Israel’s military campaign has resulted in at least 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Palestinian health authorities. The war has devastated Gaza, leaving much of it in ruins and forcing hundreds of thousands into temporary shelters, reliant on humanitarian aid.
Both sides have signaled their intent to negotiate the next phase of talks, which would focus on securing the release of approximately 60 remaining hostages—fewer than half of whom are believed to be alive—and the possible withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
However, prospects for a deal remain uncertain due to deep divisions over Gaza’s future. Tensions were further inflamed by widespread regional outrage over former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to remove Palestinians from Gaza and turn the area into a U.S.-controlled tourist destination.
