Israel and Hamas are set to swap more hostages for prisoners in another test of the Gaza ceasefire
Associated PressJan 25
Hamas Releases the Bodies of 4 Hostages
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Above: Palestinian Hamas fighters and people gather at the site of the handing over of the bodies of four Israeli hostages in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb. 20, 2025. Image copyright: Omar al-Qattaa/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Hamas released the bodies of four hostages on Thursday — including the bodies of the Bibas family — presenting their caskets on a stage with a poster saying "The Return of the War = The Return of your Prisoners in Coffins." Another message read "They were killed by USA bombs."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was "united in unbearable grief," adding that Israel will "settle the score" and achieve the goals of the war. The children of the Bibas family were the youngest people taken hostage during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.
The UN criticized the release of the bodies, with human rights chief Volker Türk saying that "under international law, any handover of the remains of deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment."
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Given the suffering of the hostages, it is essential that the cease-fire continues and negotiations for the second phase commence immediately. The tragic deaths of the Bibas children further demonstrate that Israel will only get its hostages back through diplomacy, which is understandably painful, but necessary.
Pro-Israel narrative
Hamas cannot be allowed to get away with the brutality it inflicted upon Israeli civilians on Oct. 7. The purposeful killing of the Bibas children is a strong reminder to the world that Hamas is a ruthless terrorist organization that must be eliminated.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel is, yet again, using falsehoods in a petty attempt to undermine and sabotage the cease-fire. Israeli pundits spent over a year pretending the Bibas family was still alive when Hamas announced the family's death due to an airstrike a month into the war. Israel is in the process of attacking the West Bank like it's Gaza, yet the media continues to ignore this reality.
