One of the bodies of the hostages Hamas handed over to authorities was found not to be that of a missing Israeli mum of two.
Shiri Silberman-Bibas, her baby Kfir and five-year-old son Ariel were taken hostage on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack into southern Israel.
Now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a body that Hamas militants released during the handover of hostages is that of a Gazan woman, and not that of Shiri.
In a statement, Netanyahu slammed the handover of the wrong remains as ‘cruel and malicious’, vowing that Hamas would ‘pay the full price’.
The remains of Shiri’s two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, were positively identified when they were handed over with two other bodies on Thursday.
Israeli confirmed one body was that of Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted during the October 7 attacks.
‘We will work with determination to bring Shiri home together with all our hostages – both living and dead – and ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and malicious violation of the agreement.
‘The sacred memory of Oded Lifshitz and Ariel and Kfir Bibas will be forever enshrined in the heart of the nation. May God avenge their blood. And so we will avenge.’
They were hiding in a safe room when their village was invaded, while husband and father Yarden waited outside with a small pistol in an attempt to protect his family.
The father texted relatives ‘I love you all’ as they sheltered, as Hamas fighters fired semi-automatic weapons outside their window.
Video footage later emerged showing the distraught mother clutching her two children as they are kidnapped as horrified onlookers scream: ‘She has a baby.’
Shiri could be seen sobbing in the footage before she and her children are led away by the fighters.
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