Body of UK-linked hostage believed to be among those returned by Hamas
The body of a UK-linked Hamas hostage is among those believed to have been returned to Israel, a lawyer representing British hostage families has said.
The body of Oded Lifschitz,84, is thought to be one of the four returned by Hamas on Thursday.
Mr Lifschitz's family – including his British-based daughter, Dr Sharone Lifschitz – had received no information on his whereabouts since the Hamas October 7 attack, when he was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
In a statement on Thursday morning, Adam Wagner, the lawyer for Dr Lifschitz, of Walthamstow, east London, and other British hostage families, said: 'Today, 20 February 2025, is one of immense sadness, and of failure. It appears that 503 days after they were taken from their homes by Hamas terrorists, the bodies of four people have been returned to Israel.
'It is understood that three of those bodies are of Shiri Bibas, and her two little children, Ariel and her baby, Kfir. We are horrified at their deaths.
'The fourth body is believed to be that of Oded Lifshitz, aged 84, whose daughter, our client Dr Sharone Lifschitz, is British, and whose wife, Yocheved … was freed in October 2023, also after being taken hostage.'
However, the statement later said that 'we cannot confirm yet whose bodies have been returned'.
Stella Creasy, the MP for Walthamstow where Dr Lifshitz lives said that she was 'heartbroken'.
In a post on Bluesky on Thursday morning, she described the news as a 'devastating blow'.
'We had hoped for a miracle – to be able to welcome Oded Lifschitz back to his family and to join them in Walthamstow,' she said.
'A man who dedicated his life to fighting for peace between Israel and Palestine, driving ambulances across the border to help.'
She added: 'The news today and pictures (are) a devastating blow. We stand with out neighbour, Sharone Lifschitz, in her grief and in sharing the stories of his work.'
Dr Lifschitz's father is a retired Israeli journalist, a great-grandfather and a grandfather of 11.
The statement from Mr Wagner described him as someone whose 'life has always been dedicated to peace'.
His wife, Yocheved, 86, was also taken hostage but was released two weeks later.
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