Hamas claimed on Friday evening that it had handed over the body of slain hostage Shiri Bibas to the Red Cross, Al Jazeera reported. According to Channel 12 News , the Red Cross updated Israel that it had been summoned by Hamas to a location in Gaza where a coffin with Bibas’ body would be handed over. Later, an Israeli official confirmed that Hamas had handed a coffin to the Red Cross. The Red Cross, in turn, is expected to hand the coffin over to the IDF and it will then be transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, where the identification process of the body inside will take place. The Ministry of Health stated, “The National Center for Forensic Medicine is prepared to conduct an examination for identification. The teams, including forensic doctors and the center's laboratories, are ready to provide a response as quickly as possible while maintaining sensitivity towards the family.” The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said, “Following the reports regarding Shiri Bibas, they are currently under review. IDF representatives are in contact with the family.” “We emphasize the family’s request to show responsibility and not publish unauthorized reports, that could harm the efforts.” Shiri Bibas’ body was supposed to have been returned to Israel on Thursday, along with the bodies of her two sons, Kfir and Ariel, but the IDF announced , following the completion of the identification process by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, that that body that was received was not that of Shiri Bibas, and was of an anonymous, unidentified woman. Related articles: Released hostage to be honored by USA US presented Hamas with new proposal for hostage release Or Levy recounts the moment he met his son Netanyahu speaks with family of hostage Elkana Bochbot Hamas on Friday morning confirmed that the body given to Israel a day earlier was not that of Shiri Bibas. The group claimed, "Shiri Bibas' remains apparently became mixed with the remains of other dead under the rubble, after the IAF struck the place where she was staying." (Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)
