As we know – or, more exactly, as we thought we knew – on Wednesday hamas released the bodies of a mother, Shiri Bibas, and her two infant children, Ariel and Kfir.
But they lied about that, as they lie about everything else.
From Israel’s IDF Forces, we have the following message (the bold print is mine):
Following the completion of the identification process by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in collaboration with the Israel Police, IDF representatives informed the Bibas family that their loved ones, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, have been identified.
According to the assessment of professional officials, based on the intelligence available to us and forensic findings from the identification process, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were brutally murdered by terrorists in captivity in November 2023.
During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body.
This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages. We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages.
Ariel Bibas was four years old at the time of his death, and Kfir Bibas was ten months old at the time of his death. They were abducted with their mother, Shiri Bibas, from their home in Nir Oz. Yarden Bibas, Ariel and Kfir’s father, went out to protect them and was abducted prior to the abduction of Shiri and the children. Yarden returned as part of the agreement for the return of the hostages on February 1, 2025.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Bibas family during this incredibly difficult time and remain committed to doing everything possible to ensure Shiri and all the hostages are brought home at the earliest opportunity.
We know what happened to Ariel and Kfir Bibas, though we don’t know what unspeakable torture they suffered before their death. But we don’t know what happened to Shiri Bibas – whether her remains are in a condition hamas does not want to the world to see, or something even worse. Maybe we never will.
Israel is not dealing with human beings as most decent people understand the term. Nothing, no matter how depraved, is beneath them.
hamas is a murderous, terrorist cult. And, as I’ve said before, any agreement/deal that keeps hamas in control of anything at all, no matter how nominal, should be a non-starter. Period.
