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A day after Israel claimed that the Bibas brothers were killed with “bare hands” by Hamas days after they were held captive in the Gaza Strip, Hamas was on Saturday set to release six hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Red Cross ambulances were seen arriving in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah in preparation for the handover of hostages, the Associated Press reported.
Israel on Friday confirmed that a body handed over by Hamas was that of hostage Shiri Bibas, who was kidnapped with her two young sons and her husband in the deadly attack on October 7, 2023. The latest development threatens the derailment of the seemingly fragile truce that was agreed upon to halt the war between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, armed men were seen gathered in Rafah and Nuseirat where the six hostages were expected to be handed over to the Red Cross, which will then take them to the Israeli forces.
Notably, they are among the last living hostages from a group of 33 who are due to be freed in the first stage of the ceasefire agreement that came into place on January 19 this year.
While four of the hostages—Eliya Cohen (27), Tal Shoham (40), Omer Shem Tov (22) and Omer Wenkert (23)—were taken by Hamas militants during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, two others—Hisham Al-Sayed (36) and Avera Mengistu (39)—have been held captive since they entered Gaza under unclear circumstances about a decade ago, Reuters reported.
Israel, in turn, is expected to release 602 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in its jails in the latest round of exchange, the report further stated.
Israel Claims Hamas Killed Bibas Brothers With ‘Bare Hands’
Earlier on Friday, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had alleged that after killing the two babies in ‘cold blood,’ Hamas tried to cover up the horrific acts.
“Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood. The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys—they killed them with their bare hands. Afterwards, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities,” IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari had reportedly said in a statement.
Citing forensic examinations, the IDF said, “We can confirm that baby Kfir Bibas, just 10 months old, and his older brother Ariel, aged four, were both brutally murdered by terrorists while being held hostage in Gaza no later than November 2023. These two innocent children were taken hostage alive, along with their mother, Shiri, from their home on October 7, 2023.”
