Israel has confirmed the identification of two of the deceased bodies returned by Hamas as Ariel and Kfir Bibas. However, tests have shown that the body expected to be that of their mother, Shiri, does not match her DNA and does not correspond to any other Israeli hostage. The Israeli military has stated that forensic evidence and intelligence suggest that the boys were murdered.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has condemned this act as a severe violation by the Hamas terrorist organization, which was obligated to return four deceased hostages. The IDF demands the return of Shiri along with all other hostages. Despite this development, plans for the release of six additional hostages on Saturday remain unchanged.
