World News | Child Hostages Identified but Body Hamas Released Was Not Their Mother, Israel Says

Jerusalem, Feb 21 (AP) The remains of two child hostages have been identified but another body released by Hamas was not the boys' mother, the Israeli military said.

Hamas militants had turned over four bodies Thursday under the tenuous ceasefire that has paused over 15 months of war. Israeli confirmed one body was that of Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted during the Hamas attack that started the war on October 7, 2023.

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The remains of Ariel and Kfir Bibas were identified by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in collaboration with the Israel Police and the families were notified, the Israeli Defence Forces said in a statement. It said the boys were killed in captivity in November 2023.

But the additional body was not that of their mother Shiri Bibas, nor any other hostage, the military said.

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"This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organisation, which is obligated under the agreement to return four deceased hostages," the Israeli military said in a statement early Friday. "We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages."

Hamas officials could not be immediately reached for comment. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)