This past Thursday, as part of the ongoing hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, Israel grievingly received 4 hostage bodies, including Oded Leipzhits and the Bibas family children, Ariel and Kfir, aged 4 years and 9 months, respectively, at the time of their abduction. Shiri Bibas’s real body was returned on Saturday, after examinations proved that the provided remains were that of a deceased Gazan woman. Following this saddening event, Israelis were relieved to welcome back 6 male hostages on Saturday, two of which had been in captivity in Gaza for over a decade. Due to the manner in which the hostage and body handover was conducted, Israel has delayed the release 600 Palestinian prisoners, leaving the future of the current hostage release deal in question.
