Hundreds gathered in southern Gaza as Hamas returned the remains of four Israeli hostages, placing their coffins on a stage before handing them over to the Red Cross. The somber event, held in what was once a cemetery before being destroyed by Israeli forces, marked the first handover of deceased hostages under the fragile Israel-Hamas truce.
A masked Hamas militant sat before the crowd, completing paperwork with a Red Cross official. Above them, a massive banner depicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a bloodied vampire, with Hamas claiming,
“Netanyahu and his army killed them with missiles and Zionist warplanes.”
As the cold drizzle fell, the black coffins, bearing photos of the deceased alongside Netanyahu’s image, were wrapped in white shrouds and placed into Red Cross vehicles. Hamas militants, some armed, others documenting the event with cameras, surrounded the scene.
The remains included Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel and nine-month-old Kfir, the youngest hostage taken during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The fourth body was 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz.
A Tense and Symbolic Location
The handover took place at Bani Suheila cemetery near Khan Yunis, a site Hamas said was destroyed by Israeli forces. According to a Hamas source, Israel had previously exhumed bodies from the graveyard for examination, returning most later.
Meanwhile, armed militants stood guard as Hamas fighters staged a military parade, holding rifles and grenade launchers high. Large speakers blasted chants, while children and young men gathered around a display of weapons, ammunition belts, and anti-tank mines.
Reactions from Both Sides
Hamas maintained that Israel was responsible for the hostages’ deaths, stating,
“We preserved the lives of the captives, but their army killed them along with their captors.”
On the other side, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment a national tragedy, saying,
“Our hearts—the hearts of the entire nation—lie in tatters.”
Despite the grim exchange, the Red Cross urged both sides to conduct hostage and prisoner handovers with dignity and privacy.
🤔 Personal Take:
This highly charged handover reflects the deep hostility between Israel and Hamas, with both sides framing the event in their own narrative. Hamas presented it as proof of Israeli aggression, while Israel mourns yet another devastating loss.
One thing is clear that this conflict is far from over. Even in moments meant for diplomacy, symbolism and political messaging overshadow everything else. But at the end of the day, the biggest tragedy remains the innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
