Israel Briefing Day 510: A Nation Weeps

Israel is in the process of releasing the Palestinian prisoners whose freedom was delayed due to Israeli outrage over the ceremonies Hamas had been holding. It is not yet clear whether Israel is releasing some or all of the 602 prisoners who had been slated for release.

Shlomo Mantzur, 86, was the oldest hostage. He was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kissufim, which he founded with friends after surviving the violent 1941 pogrom against Baghdad’s Jewish community. His family describes him as “a man with golden hands and a wide heart.”

Itzhak Elgarat, 69, was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was bleeding, and his brother Danny had tried to tell him by phone how to stop the bleeding. Then, the call was cut off by gunmen. The kibbutz announced this morning that he was murdered in Gaza and expressed its “deep pain and sorrow.”

Tsachi Idan, 50, from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, was taken to Gaza by terrorists after they separated him from his family. They murdered his 18-year-old daughter Maayan in front of them.

Hamas kidnapped Ohad Yahalomi, 50, from Kibbutz Nir Oz after he had tried to fight terrorists to defend his family. The kibbutz announced this morning that he was murdered in captivity. Nature reserves across the country had been displaying his photograph, calling for his freedom, as he worked for the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. He was an Israeli- French citizen.

The transfer of the bodies and release of more Palestinian prisoners marks the resolution of the crisis that was preventing the completion of phase one of the ceasefire. After Hamas returned the wrong body for Shiri Bibas and held humiliating ceremonies upon returning hostages and bodies, Israel was holding up the 600 Palestinian prisoners.i

The major question now is what will become of the ceasefire. The parties are due to negotiate the next phase of the deal, in which the fate of other hostages and bodies will be determined and Hamas will push for a permanent end to the war.

But Israel does not want to end the war with Hamas intact. The US now wants to sidestep these issues by cutting a deal for some more hostages to be freed and more bodies to be released without formally moving to phase two and addressing the big issues regarding Gaza’s future.

As newly released bodies reached Israel overnight, the country had only just laid to rest the bodies from the previous release of remains.

Oded Lifshitz was buried on Tuesday, and yesterday the tragic Bibas family, all but the father murdered by Hamas, was laid to rest. The mother and her two sons were laid to rest in the same coffin so they would, as relatives put it, “be close together, just as Shiri wrapped them that cursed day.”

Huge crowds lined the route of the Bibas funeral procession, waving Israeli flags and holding orange balloons, a nod to the striking ginger hair of the murdered children Ariel and Kfir. Some sang “Hatikva,” some held signs reading, “Forgive us.” Together with mother Shiri, 32, they were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

The funeral was limited to family, close friends, and senior officials. There, all eyes were on Yarden Bibas, the bereaved husband and father, who was himself freed last month after almost 500 days in Gaza. Shiri’s sister, Dana Siton Silverman, said: “I ask your forgiveness, on behalf of the leadership and the army, for not being there for you.”

The speeches were broadcast nationwide. Shiri’s childhood friend Stav Konio said: “Shiri, you became a symbol of Hamas’ unforgivable cruelty. But for us, you are just Shiri, our friend, whom we love and will never see again.”

In eulogies, mourners spoke about Ariel’s infectious laugh and Kfir’s bright, toothy smile. Grief mixed with anger at points, as family members condemned the government’s failure to bring the hostages home alive. “They could have saved you, but they chose revenge,” said Ofri Bibas Levy, Yarden’s sister.

Here are some of the most moving lines from the eulogies, first from Yarden Bibas: “Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me!”

“In the safe room, I asked if we should ‘fight or surrender.’ You said fight, so I fought. Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all.”

“Ariel, I hope you’re enjoying paradise. I’m sure you’re making all the angels laugh with your silly jokes and impressions.”

“Kfir, I miss nibbling on you, hearing your laughter, and playing with you in the mornings before work. I cherished those moments so much, and I miss them now more than ever.”

Dana Silberman Sitton, Shiri’s sister and aunt to Kfir and Ariel, said: “For a whole year I’ve been preparing myself for this moment, but nothing could truly prepare me adequately for saying goodbye to you.”

“I want to ask your forgiveness on behalf of our leadership and military who weren’t there for you that day, and who took so long to bring you back to your homeland.”

Ofri Bibas Levy, Yarden’s sister and another aunt to Ariel and Kfir, said: “I’ve been writing these words in my mind for over a year, but every time I tried, I pushed them away—with the power of my love for you, with the strength of hope that you would return.”

“I promise to do good in your name. I will carry you with me always. Love and miss you forever.”

Meanwhile, Hamas is regrouping and getting ready for possible renewed conflict with Israel. New commanders are in place and the organisation is restructuring its military operations, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Repairs are underway on the underground tunnel network.

Finally, the non-profit group Physicians for Human Rights Israel has released a report alleging serious mistreatment of medics from Gaza who are being detained in Israel. The report included testimonies of beatings, torture, and medical neglect of medics in Israeli facilities. The Israeli military and the Israel Prison Service have denied the claims.

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