UPDATE - Israeli official says Red Cross confirmed receiving Shiri Bibas' body from Hamas: Report

ADDS DETAILS, BACKGROUNDS

By Said Amori and Mohammad Sio

JERUSALEM (AA) - An Israeli official said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) informed Israel that it received a body from Hamas, which the group said belongs to hostage Shiri Bibas, Israeli Army Radio reported Friday.

The report, citing the unnamed Israeli security official, did not provide details.

As of 1935GMT, Hamas nor the Red Cross had issued comments regarding the report.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that the forensic institute in Tel Aviv is preparing to receive and examine the alleged body of Shiri Bibas within “the next hour and a half.”

Israeli authorities instructed police to escort the coffin “until the body reaches the forensic institute,” the channel added.

Earlier Friday, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that Israel was investigating media reports suggesting Hamas had transferred Bibas’ body to the ICRC.

On Thursday, Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza handed over four coffins containing the remains of Israeli hostages, stating that they belonged to Shiri Bibas, her two children, Kfir and Ariel, and captive Oded Lifshitz. The transfer was part of the seventh batch under the first phase of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a video statement early Friday that Hamas had returned the body of a woman from Gaza instead of Bibas.

He vowed that Hamas would “pay the full price” for what he called a “grave breach” of the prisoner exchange agreement.

In response, Hamas said Friday that it would “thoroughly examine” Netanyahu’s claims and announce the results transparently.

The Palestinian resistance group noted the possibility of an error or mix-up in the bodies, potentially resulting from Israeli bombardment of the site where Bibas’ family was located alongside other Palestinians.

As of Friday, Israel has received 19 living prisoners and four bodies, with six more prisoners set to be handed over Saturday and four additional bodies expected next week, marking the completion of Hamas’ obligations for the first phase of the deal, which includes 33 Israeli prisoners, both living and deceased.

In exchange, Israel has released 1,135 Palestinian prisoners, including dozens serving life sentences. Hundreds more are expected to be released in the coming two weeks.

The ceasefire deal took effect last month, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed at least 48,300 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.