Family confirms body of hostage handed over by Hamas was Israeli mother Shiri Bibas
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy
A body released by Hamas overnight was confirmed to be Shiri Bibas, the Israeli mother whose two young sons also died in captivity, her family and Israel authorities said.
The misidentification of Bibas’s body this week had threatened the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
Hamas said her remains were returned to Israel with those of her sons and another hostage on Thursday. However, testing confirmed the identities of the three others, but found the remains said to be of Bibas were instead of an unidentified Palestinian woman.
This undated photo provided by Hostages Family Forum shows Shiri Bibas, who was abducted and brought to Gaza on 7 Oct 2023
Bibas was kidnapped with her two small sons and her husband during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.
Hamas late on Friday handed over another body, which Bibas’s family confirmed to be hers. "Last night, our Shiri was returned home," the family said in a statement, which said she had been identified by Israel's Institute of Forensic Medicine.
More follows