Hamas posted pictures of the dead on the coffin, blaming Netanyahu (video snippet)

Israel Mourns As Palestinians Cheer Coffins Of Murdered Bibas Family

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The Judean Staff
National

In a grim and grotesque display of barbarity, Hamas militants handed over black coffins they claimed contained the remains of Shiri Bibas and her two innocent children, Kfir and Ariel—who, in their tragic deaths, have become national symbols of the Israeli people's suffering. Also among the remains was the body of 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, another victim of Hamas’ unrelenting brutality.

This sinister handover, facilitated by the International Red Cross which has been criticized for being nothing more than an Uber service, took place at a former cemetery in the terrorist stronghold of Khan Yunis, a city that has become a symbol of Hamas’ reign of terror. It was the first time Hamas had returned bodies since its heinous October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, an event that launched a brutal war and plunged the region into unprecedented grief and rage. This exchange occurred under a fragile ceasefire agreement, one that has seen live hostages bartered like pawns in a twisted game where Hamas extracts the highest price for human life—dozens of convicted terrorists for each freed Israeli hostage.

As news of the handover spread, some 100 Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, a site that has become the epicenter of the nation's demand for justice and accountability. There, massive screens displayed the smiling faces of the Bibas family and Lifshitz—images now seared into the national consciousness. The crowd, draped in sorrow, released orange balloons into the sky, a poignant tribute to the vibrant red hair of little Kfir and Ariel, whose innocence was cruelly stolen by Hamas' monstrous actions.

A Family’s Tragic Fate

The Bibas family has come to represent the profound agony of an entire nation. Their horrifying abduction was broadcast to the world by Hamas itself—proof of the group's depravity as they paraded their victims like trophies. The footage, widely circulated, showed terrorists violently tearing the terrified family from their home near the Gaza border, their cries for mercy met with nothing but barbarity.

Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, was abducted separately, his fate left uncertain for months. Released on February 1 in yet another lopsided hostage-prisoner exchange, Yarden has now been forced to confront a reality more harrowing than captivity: the loss of his entire family.

For months, the fate of the Bibas children was shrouded in cruel uncertainty. Hamas, ever the manipulative actor, spread conflicting reports about their deaths. Though international observers largely accepted the terror group’s claim that an Israeli airstrike had killed them, Israel refused to confirm anything until hard evidence was in hand. Now, with their remains returned, the truth is undeniable: Hamas stole these lives, and in their captivity, Kfir and Ariel perished under their captors' so-called "care."

Israel Mourns, Hamas Celebrates

In Israel, heartbreak and fury intertwined as President Isaac Herzog voiced what millions of Israelis felt: unbearable grief and an unshakable sense of failure.

“The hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters,” Herzog lamented. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely.”

While Israel grieved, a grotesque celebration unfolded in Gaza. In a sickening echo of October 7, hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Khan Yunis, their cheers rising into the air as the bodies of Israeli civilians were paraded through the streets. The handover was no solemn event—it was an orchestrated spectacle. A massive banner hung in the background, displaying an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu portrayed as a bloodthirsty vampire, a propaganda piece meant to shift blame from the terrorists who kidnapped and ultimately murdered these innocent souls. The display was almost identical to the grotesque victory rallies Hamas staged in recent weeks, where live hostages were returned to Israel in exchange for convicted terrorists.

Armed militants, clad in Hamas headbands and military fatigues, lined the stage, their presence a chilling reminder of the barbarism that has gripped Gaza for decades. Each coffin bore a small photograph of the deceased—a grotesque mockery of the lives Hamas stole.

A One-Sided "Ceasefire"

Under the first phase of the ceasefire that took effect on January 19, Israel has been forced into yet another morally bankrupt exchange. So far, 19 living Israeli hostages have been released, but at an exorbitant cost—more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners, many of them convicted terrorists with Israeli blood on their hands. This is not a peace process; it is a ransom scheme, a calculated tactic by Hamas to strengthen its ranks while prolonging the suffering of the hostages still held captive.

The lopsided nature of these exchanges is a stark reminder of the different values at play. While Israel desperately fights to bring every citizen home—dead or alive—Hamas capitalizes on the suffering, turning it into theater. The militant group and its allies took 251 people hostage on October 7. Before Thursday’s handover, 70 hostages remained in Gaza, including 35 whom the Israeli military believes are no longer alive.

As part of the next phase of the so-called ceasefire, Hamas is set to release six more living hostages on Saturday and return the bodies of four more Israeli victims next week. And so, the cycle continues—one in which Israel grieves and fights for every innocent life, while Hamas revels in its own blood-soaked spectacle.

The Price of Terror

The return of the Bibas family’s remains has not just deepened Israel’s grief—it has reinforced the world’s understanding of Hamas’ true nature. The red-haired Bibas children, once symbols of hope, are now symbols of the undeniable evil that Israel faces. And while the world watches in horror, one thing remains clear: Hamas bears full responsibility for these innocent lives lost. No banner, no propaganda, and no celebration can change that.

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