Terrorist group Hamas on Thursday turned over the remains of four Israeli hostages it kidnapped during its surprise attack on October 7, 2023.
The details of the exchange elicited outrage from across the globe as it put the terrorist organization’s brutality on full display.
As Hamas parades the coffins of kidnapped & slain babies in their dystopian theater production to the sound of buoyant applause & whistles from the crowd, never forget that there is no ICC warrant—nor a single legal consequence in any international tribunal—for their killers. The… pic.twitter.com/ZrLLI8XCcv
— Elica Le Bon الیکا ل بن (@elicalebon) February 20, 2025
The murdered hostages included a woman and her two young children and an elderly journalist. The victims were identified as Shiri Bibas, 32, and her children, Ariel and Kfir. The children were four years old and nine months old, respectively. The journalist was 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz.
Video footage circulating on social media showed the terrorists parading black coffins containing the remains through the Gaza Strip, making a macabre spectacle of the matter.
Even I, who said Hamas was evil, never imagined it would parade the body of the Bibas children out in a public spectacle, in mislabeled coffins with locks that don’t open. pic.twitter.com/8ZBe1SW9qR
— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) February 20, 2025
The four coffins were placed on a stage in front of a crowd of Palestinians. A large banner showing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depicted as a vampire was displayed in the background. The image shows blood dripping from his fangs with a picture of the deceased hostages superimposed on his chest.
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A message was displayed on the banner. “The War Criminal Netanyahu & His Nazi Army Killed Them with Missiles from Zionist Warplanes,” the message read.
Hamas is pure evil. Parading an elderly man and a mother and her children in locked coffins with no keys. Creating a propaganda stage for an audience to celebrate. Hamas leadership screwed up thinking this would gain favor. Israelis will never forget this… pic.twitter.com/0ue5qJGoPA
— Kevin Youkilis (@GreekGodOfHops) February 20, 2025
Reports on social media indicated that the coffins were locked shut and that Hamas did not provide keys to open them. However, Israeli Defense Force (IDF) officials told The New York Post that this did not happen. The IDF scanned each coffin for bombs.
The terrorists placed two missiles next to the coffins with the words “They were killed by USA bombs” emblazoned on them.
Just listen to Palestinian filth celebrating and cheering as Hamas parades coffins with kids - the Bibas family.
— Kirk Lubimov (@KirkLubimov) February 20, 2025
Many of the hostages were held by Gazans. Not a single Gazan called for the kids to be released.
How many 'moderate' world's Muslim leader you saw calling for them?… pic.twitter.com/VQPLopL6z3
Masked terrorists lifted each coffin and paraded them through the crowds before placing them inside of Red Cross vehicles.
Netanyahu promised to “settle the score with the vile murderers” on Thursday as the bodies were being returned.
“On this day we are all united,” he said in a video message. “We are all united in unbearable grief.”
“We will bring back all our hostages, destroy the murderers, eliminate Hamas, and together — with God’s help — we will secure our future,” he added.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 20, 2025
"My brothers and sisters, dear citizens of Israel, on this day we are all united, in grief that is too heavy to bear.
Today, every home in Israel bows its head. We bow our heads over the heavy loss of four of our hostages. pic.twitter.com/7zzGHgAuBj
Israel and Hamas are in the midst of a ceasefire that began in mid-January. As part of the agreement, Hamas agreed to release 25 living Israeli hostages and the remains of eight others. Israel will turn over 1,500 Palestinian prisoners. It will exchange women and children who were detained during the war without charges for the remains of the deceased.
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