16 months, smiling faces of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, slowly withdrawing to the background of Israeli life as their photos – Posted on walls and bus stops shortly after the abduction of the Gaza family in October 2023. – She began to fade, narrow and peel.
On Friday, the lives and disturbing death of Bibaza pulled to the forefront of Israel’s collective consciousness in such a stunning and disturbing way that the fresh alarm began because of the long -term fate of fragile interrupted fire in Gaza. The truce seemed to continue during the weekend, as both sides were preparing for another exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, but restlessness over the Bibas family intensified suspicion of extension.
Early Friday morning Israeli army announced that Mrs. Bibas’s body – nominally returnedTogether with those of her sons, Hamas on Israel on Thursday – it seemed to be someone else. And the autopsy of the two boys, at the age of 4 and 8 months, at the time of the abduction, revealed that they were killed by terrorists in Gaza “bare hands,” the army said.
High official Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzouq, said in a phone interview that the family was killed at the Israeli air attack in November 2023, dismissing the accusation that they were killed by a small militant group holding hostages, a Mujahdid Brigade. But Mr. Abu Marzouq admitted that Mrs. Bibas’s body may have been mistakenly held in Gaza, saying that Hamas members now sought their remains at the place where the family was buried together with the Palestinians.
An account that cannot be verified on its own.
The news has launched a paroxysism of anger and agony in Israel rarely seen from the turbulent days that followed Hamas’ attack October 7, 2023, when up to 1,200 people were killed and 251 was abducted, including Mrs. Bibas and her sons, on the most dead day in Israeli history.
For Palestinians, the destruction he spent Israeli military response up to October 7th – a reaction that, among other consequences, Raised Palestinian funerals and killed thousands of children Including some younger than Kfir Bibas – has long overshadowed Hamas’s terrorist attacks at the beginning of the war.
But the Israelis remain deeply traumatized by attacking in October and returning Bibas boy, along with the uncertainty of where the mother is located and a non -proud way that Hamas paradated their coffins On Thursday, he revived the torment.
Responding to the announcement of the army, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel returned to the language of revenge that defined his speeches after October 7th.
“May God take revenge on their blood,” said Mr. Netanyahu ua recorded speech to the nation on Friday morning. “And we will also have your revenge.”
The enthusiastic tenor response of Mr. Netanyahua was maintained in most of the Israeli political spectrum. Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister, said in a broadcast interview that Bibases’ treatment showed that “most Gazans want to kill all the Israelis.” (Polling station Last fall, he suggested that less than 40 percent of Gazan Palestinians supported the attack on October 7, which is a drop of more than 70 percent early last year.)
This combination of vulnerability and revenge has agreed the news of overnight that, according to Israeli security services, terrorists detonated bombs on Several buses throughout the central Israel. The vehicles were empty at the time. Commentators said the attacks may be a reply to being in progress Israeli military operations on the occupied west coastwho threw tens of thousands of Palestinians from their homes.
For some Israelites, the fate of the Bibas family underwent the need to restart the war to beat Hamas once and for all. Currently, the truce should pass in early March unless Hamas and Israel can agree to extend. “The only solution is the destruction of Hamas, and this should not be delayed,” said Bezalel Review, Finance Minister of the End right, in Post on social media.
But others called for Mirna, claiming that the fate of the Bibas family showed why the truce needed to expand in order to still be held home in Gaza with about 70 hostages, both dead and alive, in Gaza.
The Village leadership to Nir Oz, the Bibase’s hometown, announced a statement on Friday that called Israel to “keep our values and clear demands of the Bibas family at the moment: release, not revenge. The state must return Shiri in all ways, in the way which does not endanger the continuation of the agreement and the direct release of all hostages. “
Isaac Herzog, mostly ceremonial president of Israel, also called the government “To remember our most duties – to do everything in our power to bring each of our abducted sisters and brothers home. All of them. To the last. “
For now, it seems that the truce is likely to last at least a few more days. Six living Israeli hostages will be announced on Saturday, and analysts said it was unlikely that Israel would do anything to endanger their freedom. Hamas announced his names on Friday morning, projecting a sense of business as usual.
Six included two Israeli citizens – Avera Menongista and Hisham al-Sayed – who captured the Hamas years before the 2023 attack after the two entered Gaza by their appointment. Israel said he had received a list of hostages set for release and informed his families, but did not immediately confirmed that the same six named Hamas.
The long -term future of the tribute seemed even less clear. According to the conditions agreed in January, the parties were to start negotiating the extension of the agreement almost three weeks ago, but they have not yet done so.
Arab leaders were set up to meet In Saudi Arabia, on Friday, try to eject a proposal for post -war gauze reconstruction that would enable a peaceful transfer of power from Hamas to an alternative Palestinian administration.
But in Israel, analysts speculated that the Government would rather expel Hamas by force.
“If on Netanyahu and his ultimate right-wing coalition associates, then next week-after-end will end the first stage of hostage agreement with the return of four other hostages-the path to renewal of the Gaza war will be entitled,” Wrote Amos HarelMilitary affairs commentator for Haaretz, left -wing newspaper. “This time they promise, no limit.”
Reporting was contributed by Adam Rasgon in Jerusalem, Johnatan Reiss in Tel Aviv and Rawan Sheik Ahmad In Haifa, Israel.
