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A short while ago, IDF and ISA forces brought the coffins of the four deceased hostages over the border into Israel, and they are being taken to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine to undergo an identification procedure. IDF representatives are accompanying their families…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 20, 2025
11:52 Dead hostages back in Israel after IDF ceremony following handover from Red Cross. The IDF issued the following statement:
10:23 Psalm 83 "A psalm of Asaph" has been read in the official ceremony in honor of the dead hostages, led by the Chief Military Rabbi Eyal Karim.
Video: Israelis await the caskets of the four dead hostages / Credit: Shmuel Buchris
O God, do not remain silent;
do not turn a deaf ear,
do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,
how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they conspire against your people;
they plot against those you cherish.
4 "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation,
so that Israel's name is remembered no more."
5 With one mind they plot together;
they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia, with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them
to reinforce Lot's descendants.[b]
9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
and became like dung on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, "Let us take possession
of the pasturelands of God."
13 Make them like tumbleweed, my God,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest
or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest
and terrify them with your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame, Lord,
so that they will seek your name.
17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed;
may they perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord—
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
10:22 Dead hostages handed over to IDF; coffins being screened for potential explosives. The prime minister's office issued the following statement:
Even the sky is crying in Israel.
As heavy rain falls Israelis are gathered in anticipation of the arrival of the four coffins of our precious hostages and await the results of the identification tests. 💔💔💔 pic.twitter.com/6eViC3VJFb
— 𝗡𝗶𝗼𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴 ♛ ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) February 20, 2025
09:55 a.m. Dead hostages handed over to Red Cross #liveblog#israel #Bibas #gazawarhttps://t.co/rH7JjqZ4U8 https://t.co/KpyA4BMgCc
— Israel Hayom English (@IsraelHayomEng) February 20, 2025
09:00 a.m. Red Cross vehicles have arrived at the handover point.
8:31 a.m. Red Cross vehicles are on their way to the handover point. IDF Chief Rabbi Eyal Karim to officiate ceremony after receiving hostages. The Kadish mourning prayer will be recited, as will Psalms.
8:00 a.m.: Israel anticipates release of dead hostages as early as 9 a.m. local time
7:50 a.m.: Hamas already preparing for handover, with terrorists assembling at handover point.
Israel braces for an emotionally challenging day as it prepares to receive the remains of four hostages on Thursday. The deceased to be returned are Shiri Bibas-Silverman, her children Ariel and Kfir Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz. The list has been released with family approval. According to military sources, the return will take place around 08:00 a.m. from the Bani Suheila neighborhood in southern Gaza's Khan Yunis. Reports indicate Hamas intends to conduct a "ceremony" for transferring the bodies to the Red Cross.
The IDF salutes the deceased hostages as they return home after over 500 days in the hands of terrorists. pic.twitter.com/oYJTIJUde4
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 20, 2025
The IDF has outlined the process: the Red Cross will transfer the bodies to IDF forces inside Gaza territory on Thursday. Upon reception, the remains will be placed in coffins draped with Israeli flags. A military rabbi will be present to recite psalms and the El Malei Rachamim prayer. Military vehicles will transport the coffins directly to the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.
Advanced medical technologies will be employed in the identification process, though determining the cause of death may not be possible in all cases. Military officials emphasize the importance of avoiding speculation and maintaining patience during this sensitive period.
Israel confirmed Wednesday evening that the names of the four deceased to be returned are Shiri Bibas, her toddlers Ariel and Kfir, as well and Oded Lifshitz. Earlier, the Prime Minister's Office announced receiving the list of deceased hostages, with Brigadier General (ret.) Gal Hirsch, Coordinator for the Captives and Missing, informed the families through IDF representatives. The announcement of the four names detailed that Hirsch communicated with the families via IDF representatives. "Our hearts are with the grieving families in this difficult hour," the statement added, emphasizing the importance of relying only on official information and avoiding speculation.
Shiri Bibas, 33, from Nir Oz, was abducted with her sons – four-year-old Ariel and infant Kfir – from their kibbutz home. The children's father, Yarden, was also kidnapped and released approximately two weeks ago after 484 days in Hamas captivity during the hostage deal's fourth phase.
Lifshitz, 84, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was abducted from his home during the October 7 attack alongside his wife Yocheved. Five Hamas operatives had broken into the safe room where the couple was sheltering; Oded was shot in the hand and lost consciousness, while Yocheved was pulled from her bed. It was later discovered that Oded was initially held in an apartment in Khan Yunis, but after twenty days in captivity, when his health deteriorated, his whereabouts became unknown.
A senior Israeli security source addressed reports of Hamas's planned "ceremony," stating that such an event would violate agreements between Israel and mediating parties, which explicitly prohibited ceremonial displays. The IDF spokesperson's unit will document the coffins' arrival, with image release decisions left to the families' discretion.
The transfer is scheduled for Thursday rather than Saturday – the officially scheduled day – due to the identification process potentially requiring up to 48 hours. Only after official confirmation can Israel verify Hamas' compliance with the agreement, leading to the release of security prisoners. While some identifications at the pathological institute may be swift, others might require extended examination. Religious authorities stress the need for patience and discretion.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed profound sorrow at the news. "While bearing this heavy grief, the return for burial provides closure for loved ones, ending 502 days of agonizing uncertainty," the forum stated.
They added, "69 hostages remain in Hamas captivity without a set release date. We urge decision-makers to accelerate negotiations for their immediate return. We cannot risk additional casualties or disappearances."
The Bibas family requested postponing any eulogizing for Shiri and her children Ariel and Kfir pending final identification. The Lifshitz family stated: "These hours are tremendously difficult. We hoped and prayed for a different outcome, but until we receive absolute certainty, our journey continues, as will our fight until every hostage returns."
Ofri Bibas, sister of Yarden Bibas, criticized the government's communication with the family, asserting the published list lacked family authorization.
Hamas claimed in late November 2023 that Shiri and her sons perished in "Israeli Air Force strikes." Last February, the IDF released surveillance footage showing Shiri and the children days after their abduction, discovered by IDF forces in Khan Yunis.
The abduction of Ariel and Kfir, particularly baby Kfir as the youngest hostage, garnered international attention and symbolized Hamas's brutality. Britain's Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail featured Kfir's image on their front pages.
The Prime Minister's Office, while confirming the name release authorization, addressed criticism by citing IDF liaison officer error. "A serious procedural mistake occurred in the IDF's communication with the Bibas family, stemming from human error," officials stated. "Officers authorized media name release without required family consent, violating established protocol. The Prime Minister's Office never issued an official announcement."
Per agreement terms, four additional deceased hostages will return next Saturday, on the deal's 42nd day. To accommodate identification procedures, next week's transfer will also occur Thursday, the deal's 40th day.
Mental health professionals advise shielding children from return imagery and warn against spreading unverified information that could impact bereaved families. Authorities will designate the Abu Kabir Institute area as a restricted military zone to ensure family privacy.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation Wednesday evening: "Thursday brings profound difficulty to Israel. A day of upheaval and mourning. We return four beloved hostages, deceased. We embrace their families as our nation's heart breaks. My heart breaks. Yours breaks. The world's heart should break, seeing the monsters we face. We grieve, we hurt, but remain determined to prevent such atrocities from recurring."
President Isaac Herzog, speaking at Rome's Great Synagogue, emphasized two critical points: "First, our absolute obligation to return all hostages, to the last individual. Every moment in terrorist custody threatens their lives. We must employ all means and force to bring them home urgently – all of them."
Herzog continued: "Second, we confront absolute, cruel evil. Evil that murders, tortures, and abducts mothers and infants through murderous jihadist ideology, evil that massacres entire families, evil perpetrating ongoing crimes against humanity."
Officials note that formal deceased return notifications will come through the Breaking Bad News team – comprising military, police, welfare, religious services, and local authority representatives – only after conclusive forensic identification, independent of Hamas statements.
"Do not eulogize until there is final confirmation"
The Bibas family issued a statement urging patience. "If there is to be bitter news, we need to receive it through the proper channels after all identification procedures are completed. We ask not to eulogize our loved ones until there is confirmation after final identification," it said.
The Lifshitz family released a similar statement, noting that they had hoped things would turn differently but won't give up just yet. "These hours are not simple for us, after being informed that our beloved Oded is on the list of deceased hostages to be returned to Israel on Thursday, after being taken alive from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. For 502 days we hoped and prayed for a different ending, but until we receive absolute certainty our journey will not end, and even afterward we will continue to fight until the return of the last hostage. We ask the media and the public not to contact us regarding this matter at present and to respect our privacy."
Early morning: Handover process to begin
The initial stage involves the Red Cross receiving the dead from Hamas at a predetermined location before transferring them to the IDF. Following the transfer to the IDF, a military memorial ceremony will take place inside Gaza, featuring the Israeli flag, a salute ceremony, and a rabbi reciting from the Book of Psalms. Dr. Gilad Bodenheimer, who heads Mental Health Services at the Ministry of Health, has advised against extended viewing of broadcasts covering the return: "We anticipate an extremely complex day as we receive the dead hostages, and strongly recommend that the public limit their media exposure and minimize their viewing of Hamas psychological warfare tactics."
Identification process
Following their return to Israeli territory, The coffins will then be transported under police escort directly to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for identification and verification. There, experts will conduct verification tests for positive identification while attempting to determine both the cause and time of death.
The institute will employ standard identification methods including imaging scans, DNA sample extraction and laboratory analysis, and comparison with existing medical records such as dental X-rays. Reference samples have already been prepared: DNA profiles provided by Israel Police containing genetic material from the relevant dead. These reference samples will be compared against samples extracted from the returned hostages in what is expected to be the final identification stage.
The IDF states that the identification process may take up to 48 hours, depending on the condition of the remains. While some cases may be processed more quickly, others might require more time to confirm identities. The military is emphasizing the importance of avoiding rumor spread and urging patience during this sensitive period.
Anticipating potential accusations from Hamas regarding the circumstances of the hostages' deaths, the IDF stresses that any such claims should be treated as unverified. The military commits to publishing factual information about the causes of death following a thorough analysis of the evidence.
The families of the hostage casualties will be integral to the entire process. At their request, they will remain at home rather than at a designated location, accompanied by IDF representatives. They will observe the military ceremony in real-time, with documentation to be distributed afterward. The IDF will inform the families of the identification results before any public announcement.
Professor Chen Kugel, who directs the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, elaborated: "We will exhaust every possibility to determine the circumstances of death. This isn't always achievable, particularly with dead who arrive after an extended period. Our commitment is to do everything possible to provide answers to the families about what happened to their loved ones."
The confidential clause
Political officials clarify that this represents an unpublicized portion of Phase I, whereby eight hostages who died in captivity will be returned in two stages during the current phase. Under the clause being implemented later this week, four will be returned to Israel this week and four next week. In exchange, Israel will free women and children detained in Gaza after Oct. 7.
Simultaneously, Israel, Hamas, and mediating parties are preparing for discussions about the deal's second phase. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari stated Tuesday that negotiations for the second phase haven't officially commenced, though he confirmed that delegations from both Israel and the Hamas terror organization are present in Doha.
National trauma
Mental health organizations are intensifying preparations to address the emotional consequences of this painful return for both the families and the broader public.
"Recent weeks have oscillated between grief and hope. We're experiencing an extended national trauma, and now we face mourning and bereavement on an unprecedented national scale," Dr. Shiri Daniels, professional director of ERAN (Mental Health First Aid), which is bolstering its support lines extensively ahead of the upcoming weekend, explained. "We anticipate intense heartbreak in the coming days. Our teams remain vigilant, and aware of the physical toll this takes.
"Finding the right balance is crucial. While we can't ignore these emotional challenges, as that carries its own cost, we must also avoid becoming overwhelmed. We recommend limiting constant news and social media updates. Reduced exposure to distressing images is advisable," she added.
Regarding young people, Daniels emphasized the importance of preemptive conversations before they encounter disturbing content. "Age-appropriate information is crucial. They should be prepared for potentially distressing videos and reports, understanding that they aren't obligated to watch everything shared. We must avoid extremes – assuming either complete knowledge or complete ignorance. Creating space for them to express thoughts and feelings is essential, while avoiding dismissive responses to their fears or sadness."
