Netanyahu accuses Hamas of ceasefire violation over hostage remains mix-up
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of violating the Gaza ceasefire agreement after Israel determined that one of the bodies returned by the group recently was not that of female hostage Shiri Bibas.
'It is a cruel and evil violation of the agreement,' Netanyahu said in a video address. 'We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages—both living and dead—and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this violation.'
On Thursday, Hamas released the remains of four Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, including Shiri Bibas, as part of the first phase of the agreement.
The Israeli military, however, confirmed that forensic teams had identified the remains of Bibas' two young sons, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months, while alleging that a third body handed over was neither their mother nor any other known captive.
Hamas later acknowledged the possibility of an 'error or overlap' in the bodies, attributing it to Israeli airstrikes that hit the location where the Bibas family was being held. 'We will examine these claims with complete seriousness,' the group noted.
What's Next?
Israel is set to release approximately 800 Palestinian prisoners on Feb. 22 in exchange for six hostages that Hamas has agreed to free as part of the ceasefire agreement.
The Palestinian prisoner release will include 51 serving life sentences, 47 re-arrested after being freed in the 2011 'Wafa al-Ahrar' (Gilad Shalit) deal, 59 with high prison sentences, 200 women and children from Gaza, and 445 individuals detained during Israel's recent military operation.
The ceasefire, which has facilitated hostage-prisoner exchanges, has provided a temporary pause in the war that has devastated Gaza and caused tens of thousands of casualties. However, tensions remain high, with both sides warning of possible retaliation if terms of the agreement are not upheld.
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