Hamas returns bodies of four Israeli hostages including mother and children

Hamas has returned the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two young children, who were feared dead since the October 7, 2023, attack. The remains are of Shiri Bibas, her sons Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz. The handover took place in Gaza, where Hamas displayed the coffins before transferring them to Red Cross vehicles. Israeli military plans to conduct DNA identification before notifying the families. This event contrasts with the recent release of 24 living hostages. Hamas is set to release six more living hostages on Saturday and four additional bodies next week. The ceasefire's first phase is nearing completion, but negotiations for the next stage have barely started.