By Janhvi Ahuja
On Thursday, the Palestinian militants returned the bodies of those four hostages who became a symbol of the ordeals that has kept Israel under a tight clasp ever since the Gaza war began. With thousands of fluttering flags, the Israelis gathered under the grim sky to receive the black coffins that contained the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel.
This handover was mediated by the Red Cross, during which the Hamas officials also said that the coffins included the body of an elderly man, Oded Lifshitz, who was held captive at that time. This took place at a former cemetery in the city of Khan Yunis, which is located in South Gaza.
This incident is significant as it marks the first handover of bodies by Hamas since it first attacked Israel on 7th October 2023 which ultimately triggered the Gaza war. This incident is also making progress under the ongoing fragile ceasefire that has witnessed the exchange of living hostages for Palestinians that are being held captive in Israeli prisons.
Around a hundred or more Israelis have also gathered around the Tel Aviv plaza, which has now been renamed as the Hostages Square as it has become a frequent site used for conducting regular protests in regards to the releasing of hostages.
Tania Coen Uzzielli, the museum manager, who had gathered in the square along with the other hundreds of people to protest said that, “This one of the hardest days, I think, since October 7.”
She continued, “I think the feeling of personal guilt is something each of us carries – that maybe we could have done more, that maybe we didn’t do enough to prevent this tragedy.”
There were many large screens placed in the square that showcased the pictures of the Bibas family and Lifshitz, while the orange balloons floating across the square symbolized the significant colour of the red hair of the Bibas children. The two children were quite young, only aged four and nine at the moment when they were captured.
The screens also showcased the footage of the abduction of the Bibas family that was filmed and later broadcasted by the Hamas during the time, when they attacked. These clips showed the helpless people being attacked and seized from their home that was located near the Gaza border.
Officials mentioned that the bodies of the hostages are supposed to be taken to an institute of forensic medicine located in southern Israel, in Tel Aviv, in order to start the identification process for the bodies.
Hundreds of Gazans gathered for the return of the hostages, armed military personnels stood near the stage for the ceremony. This was just the first step, as Hamas will be releasing more hostages on Saturday with four coming along next week.