"The body is of an Arab woman, Kfir and Ariel were executed"

As reported earlier the Israeli military has confirmed that the remains of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the two young children kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, have been positively identified at the National Institute of Forensics. Experts have determined with certainty that both were murdered by terrorists, ruling out any possibility that they were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

The forensic process, which began earlier today, was particularly complex. The first to be identified was Oded Lifshitz, who was also confirmed to have been murdered by terrorists. Following this, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were identified with absolute certainty.

A major point of concern arose regarding the identity of an anonymous female body returned by Hamas to Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted multiple examinations and determined conclusively that it was not the body of Shiri Bibas, the mother of Kfir and Ariel. The remains were tested against the DNA profiles of all known Israeli hostages, yet no match was found.

The tragic news has been shared with the Bibas family and with Yarden Bibas, who was released from captivity and is currently at Kfar Maccabiah.

Meanwhile, the IDF confirmed that a Salafi-jihadist faction known as “Lords of the Wilderness” was responsible for kidnapping and holding Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas. The military stated that all three were brutally murdered by terrorists. Despite Hamas’s breach of agreements, the planned hostage release scheduled for Saturday is expected to proceed without changes.

This development underscores the continued devastation faced by Israeli families and raises pressing concerns regarding the fate of the remaining hostages. The Israeli government and international mediators continue to pressure for the return of all captives.