Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israeli citizens Wednesday evening that Thursday, the day on which the bodies of four hostages murdered by Hamas terrorists in captivity, will be a day of sorrow for the nation.
“Tomorrow will be a very difficult day for the State of Israel. A wrenching day, a day of grief. We are bringing home four of our beloved hostages, deceased,” Netanyahu said.
“We embrace the families, and the heart of the entire nation is torn. My own heart is torn. So is yours. And all of the world’s heart should be torn, because this demonstrates who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with — with such monsters.
“We are grieving, we are in pain, but we are also determined to ensure that such a thing never happens again,” Netanyahu said.
The bodies of Oded Lifshitz, 84, Shiri Bibas, 33, four-year-old Ariel Bibas and 9-month-old baby Kfir Bibas are expected to transferred to Israeli custody during the morning hours.
The remains will be handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza and then transferred to Israeli forces.
While the exact time and method of the transfer are unclear, it is expected to take place in the morning, similar to recent hostage releases. Israeli officials have requested media outlets to refrain from broadcasting any footage if Hamas attempts to parade the bodies, as seen in previous releases.
A respectful IDF military ceremony will take place upon receipt, in the presence of a rabbi. The bodies, draped in Israeli flags, will be carried by IDF soldiers into military vehicles and transported to the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv to confirm their identities — a process that could be very complex, depending upon the condition of the victims and when they were murdered, and could take up to 48 hours.
The IDF said it intends to investigate the causes of death, emphasizing that claims by Hamas regarding their deaths remain unverified.
“Our hearts are with the families, the complexity of the process, and the long wait. We will do everything possible to ease their burden and provide them with definitive answers as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Nurit Bubill, head of the laboratories division at Abu Kabir.
Health Minister Uriel Buso, who visited Abu Kabir on Thursday to review preparations, told reporters that patience will be required, and the dignity of the victims will be upheld above all.
“The professionals here are logistically prepared to ensure rapid identification,” Buso said. “This process could be brief or prolonged, as we lack precise information on the condition of the remains. Patience is required, but the most important thing is to achieve definitive identification, determine the cause of death when possible, and bring them to a proper burial.”
The families of the victims have been notified, including Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, who was freed from captivity on February 1.
Oded Lifshitz was being held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, an Iranian-backed ally of Hamas, a fellow Iranian proxy. Oded’s wife Yocheved Lifshitz, who was released from captivity in November 2023, told Israel’s KAN News public broadcaster that her husband was betrayed by those for whom he fought so hard and for so long.
“Oded was a great warrior for peace,” she said. “He fought for the Palestinians his whole life; they betrayed him and took him into hell.”
The Bibas family was held by Hamas.
Baruch Dayan Emet. May their blood be avenged.
