World
Bodies of four Israeli hostages handed over by Hamas – as parading of coffins labelled ‘inhumane’
The bodies of an Israeli mother and her two children have been handed over by Hamas – as the process was labelled “inhumane” by the United Nations human rights chief.
Shiri Bibas, four-year-old Ariel, and nine-month-old Kfir were kidnapped from a kibbutz during the militant group’s October 2023 attack.
The children’s father, Yarden Bibas, was released on 1 February as part of the ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.
Live updates – Hamas attacks Netanyahu as it releases bodies
Shiri Bibas was filmed cradling Ariel and Kfir as they were kidnapped by Hamas
The body of journalist and peace activist Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted, was also handed over.
Hamas has said they were all killed in Israeli airstrikes near the start of the war. The group has never provided evidence to back this up, while Israel has not confirmed the claims.
The Bibas family has become a powerful symbol of the 251 Israelis kidnapped on 7 October – not least because Kfir was the youngest taken.
The bodies were handed to the Red Cross in the Gaza city of Khan Younis on Thursday morning.
Oded Lifshitz, 84, was also taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Pic: Bring Them Home Now
Four black coffins were displayed on a stage before being put into vehicles and driven towards Israel as masked members of Hamas and other factions looked on.
United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, called the parading of the four bodies “cruel” and “inhumane” in a statement on Thursday.
He said: “Under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families.”
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‘The life he thought he was coming back to is gone’
Sky’s international correspondent, Diana Magnay, added that Hamas used the handover as a “propaganda opportunity” and had tried to send the message: “This was caused by you, you should take responsibility for it.”
“They had missiles on the stage where the four coffins were, saying they were killed by US bombs,” Magnay said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also depicted as a vampire in an image behind the dead hostages.
Sombre moment for Israelis – as Hamas uses opportunity for propaganda
The return of the bodies of four Israeli hostages is a “sombre moment” for everybody in Israel and Jews across the world, our international correspondent Diana Magnay says.
She says the two young boys, Ariel and Kfir, “really became a symbol of the tremendous suffering 7 October caused”.
“Now, to have them returned back in this way is tragic.”
Referring to the scenes of coffins being transferred to the Red Cross, Magnay says Hamas has chosen to use this “as a propaganda opportunity”.
“They have missiles on the stage where the four coffins were, saying they were killed by US bombs,” she explains.
She says Hamas’s main message is “this was caused by you, you should take responsibility for it”.
She adds that 7 October was caused by Hamas, and has brought “untold suffering to both Israel and Palestinians”.
Israel’s heart ‘in tatters’
At the family’s request, the Israeli military held a small funeral before the bodies were taken to a Tel Aviv laboratory for DNA tests to verify their identity.
Mr Netanyahu said it would be “a very difficult day for the state of Israel”, while President Isaac Herzog said “the hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters” and asked for “forgiveness for not protecting you”.
The coffins were displayed on a stage. Pic: Reuters
The Israeli military later received the four bodies. Pic: IDF
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) posted on X saying it could confirm that Mr Lifshitz was “murdered… in captivity by Islamic Jihad”.
It added: “We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Yocheved, and to the rest of his family.”
Israel previously said it was extremely concerned about the condition of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir but had never confirmed their deaths.
All four of the Israelis were abducted at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of a number of communities overrun by Hamas on the day of the surprise attack.
Video showed Shiri Bibas appearing terrified as she cradled her boys while they were taken into Gaza.
The boys’ father Yarden Bibas was released earlier this month. Pic: Reuters
The family said this week their “journey is not over” until they receive confirmation of what happened to Shiri and the boys.
Meanwhile, six living hostages, the final due to be freed under the first phase of the Gaza truce deal, will also be released on Saturday, according to Hamas.
Israelis who survived being held prisoner in Gaza have been released in small groups since the first six-week phase began last month.
Three more – Alexander Troufanov, Sagui Dekel Chen and Iair Horn – were freed last weekend. The swap included 369 Palestinians, the most released so far.
The deal has provided a vital pause in the fighting that’s devastated Gaza and left tens of thousands dead.
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Israeli hostage hugs wife
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Israel said negotiations on the second phase of the deal and an extension to the ceasefire would start this week.
Foreign minister Gideon Saar said it would involve the remaining hostages being exchanged for more Palestinian prisoners.
At least 1,200 people were killed in the attack that started the war.
Since then, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 48,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
A metal detector search for World War II relics in a forested area of Poland has led to the discovery of a much older artifact—a broken sword believed to be nearly 2,000 years old. Found in the Jura region of southern Poland, the sword was intentionally shattered into three pieces and is thought to have belonged to a Germanic warrior from the Vandal tribes. The object is undergoing further examination to determine its exact historical significance.
Weapon Identified as a Double-Edged Spatha
As reported by Live Science, according to research conducted at the Częstochowa Museum, the unearthed sword has been identified as a spatha, a double-edged broadsword commonly used by mounted Germanic warriors during the Roman Empire. This style of weapon was widely employed from the third century BCE to the fifth century CE. Southern Poland, where the artifact was found, was home to the Przeworsk culture during this period, which included the Vandals.
Evidence of Ritualistic Weapon Destruction
In a statement to Live Science, Mariusz Włudarz, President of the Inventum Association, explained that the sword had been deliberately broken as part of a funeral ritual. As per reports, the warrior’s weapon was shattered and placed on a cremation pyre, a practice commonly observed in Przeworsk culture. Historical records indicate that damaged weapons, including bent swords and altered shields, were often buried with fallen warriors, a tradition possibly inherited from Celtic customs.
Ongoing Research and Preservation Efforts
Investigations are currently being carried out at the Częstochowa Museum to analyse the composition and history of the sword. The precise location of the discovery is being kept confidential while further searches in the area are conducted. Once initial research is completed, the artifact is expected to undergo conservation work before being placed on display at the Mokra Museum.
The discovery adds to existing archaeological evidence of burial traditions associated with Germanic tribes and may provide further insights into Vandal funerary customs and their interactions with the Roman Empire.
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