Body returned by Hamas was not Shiri Bibas — IDF declares ‘serious violation’ as remains of her 2 kids positively ID’d

Israeli officials revealed the body of slain hostage Shiri Bibas – who was kidnapped by Hamas along with her two young sons – was not returned to the Jewish state Thursday morning as promised in a “serious violation” of the cease-fire deal by the terror group.

The Israel Defense Forces announced Thursday night that while the bodies of Bibas’ murdered children, Ariel and Kfir, were positively identified after being handed off in coffins by Hamas, another casket contained an “anonymous, unidentified body,” – not their mother. 

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Shiri’s remains were supposed to be released along with the bodies of her two children and hostage Oded Lifshitz as part of the Israel-Hamas cease-fire agreement.

Israel confirmed the body of Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, was returned.

The IDF slammed Hamas in a statement and demanded Shiri’s body be returned to the Jewish state.

“This is a very serious violation by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is required by the agreement to return four dead hostages,” the IDF said.

“We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all of our hostages.”

The body that was supposed to be Shiri’s is not that of a hostage, the IDF said.

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“There are no words that can describe such an atrocity. Hamas not only murdered Ariel and Kfir Bibas in cold blood – a four-year-old boy and a ten-month-old baby – but continues to violate every basic moral value even after their death,” Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in a statement.

“Instead of returning Shiri, the mother of Kfir and Ariel, Hamas returned an unidentified body, as if it were a worthless shipment. This is a new low, an evil and cruelty with no parallel.”

Before the four bodies were delivered to Israel, Hamas put on a stomach-turning display, parading the coffins in front a crowd and blaming Israel and the US for the hostages’ demise.

The black coffin that was supposed to have Shiri in it was marked with the words, “Arrest on October 7,” Israeli media reported, in reference to the terrorists’ rampage that killed 1,200 Israelis.

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Israeli forces said the young Bibas brothers were killed by terrorists in November 2023 when Ariel was 4 and Kfir was just 10 months old.

That grim assessment is based on available intelligence and forensic findings, the IDF said.

The boys’ father and Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, was also taken hostage on Oct. 7 and released alive by Hamas on Feb. 1.

Yarden was kidnapped separately from his wife and sons after he left their home in Nir Oz to protect his family.

During the father’s captivity, Hamas forced him to announce the death of his loved ones in a propaganda video.

Heartbreaking images of Shiri holding her two boys tight while surrounded by terrorists became an enduring symbol of heartbreak for Israel over the past year and a half. 

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Bibas family during this incredibly difficult time and remain committed to doing everything possible to ensure Shiri and all the hostages are brought home at the earliest opportunity,” the IDF said.

Hamas is set to free six living hostages on Saturday in the next exchange of the cease-fire deal.

If Saturday’s exchange goes as planned, Hamas would then release four more bodies next week to fulfill the first phase of the cease-fire deal, which called for 33 hostages to be freed.