Final Living Israeli Hostages in Phase One of Ceasefire Freed, Hamas Returns Remains of Shiri Bibas

Latest Developments

• Six Hostages Freed, Including Two Held for a Decade: Israel welcomed home on February 22 six hostages held captive by Iran-backed terrorist organization Hamas. Tal Shoham, Avera Mengistu, Omer Wenkert, Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, and Hisham Al-Sayed are the final six living hostages that Hamas committed to free in phase one of the ongoing ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Mengistu and Al-Sayed, an Israeli Bedouin, had both been held captive by Hamas in Gaza for nearly a decade. In exchange for the hostages, Israel is set to release 602 Palestinian prisoners, 108 of them serving long prison sentences.
• Actual Remains of Shiri Bibas Returned: Hamas released the body of an anonymous Gazan woman in place of Shiri Bibas during the February 20 handover of four deceased hostages. Following international outrage, the terrorist organization returned her actual remains on February 21 as confirmed by forensic analysis within Israel. “Last night, our Shiri was returned home,” said the Bibas family in a published statement, adding that “we received this morning the news we had dreaded — our Shiri was murdered in captivity.”
• Negotiations Set to Begin on Phase Two of Ceasefire: Israel and Hamas are set to begin negotiations on phase two of the ceasefire deal this week, according to Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who made the comments prior to the return of the deceased Bibas hostages. Israel is set to receive the bodies of four further deceased hostages on March 1, which will officially mark the end of phase one of the ceasefire.

FDD Expert Response

“During the latest hostage release which included two Israelis held by Hamas for over a decade, the group continued to use the transfer of hostages as a spectacle to showcase its control of southern and central areas of Gaza. The group is trying to manipulate the hostage deal in order to remain in power as negotiations begin on phase two of the ceasefire. It is important the group be condemned for its continued abuse of hostages and exploitation of their transfer to Israel.” — Seth Frantzman, Adjunct Fellow

“Phase two ceasefire negotiations will likely include the explicit demand by Israel for Hamas to disarm and relinquish power in Gaza, but recent Hamas rejections of this demand make it seem like a nonstarter. After the world learned this week of the sickening fate of the two young Bibas children and their mother Shiri, Hamas faces the choice: lay down its weapons and leave Gaza permanently or be destroyed — exile or elimination of the terrorist group.” — Aaron Goren, Research Analyst and Editor

FDD Background and Analysis

“‘In Cold Blood’: Hamas Murdered Bibas Children With Bare Hands, Sent Unidentified Body in Place of Shiri Bibas,” FDD Flash Brief

“‘Grief Too Heavy to Bear’: Bodies of Four Israeli Hostages, Including Shiri Bibas and Two Sons, Returned to Israel,” FDD Flash Brief

“Hamas Reportedly Willing to Release All Israeli Hostages in Single Exchange Once Second Phase of Ceasefire Begins,” FDD Flash Brief