Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A Red Cross vehicle arrives ahead of Hamas handing over the bodies of four Israeli hostages, Shiri Bibas and her two young children Kfir and Ariel, and Oded Lifshitz, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 20, 2025. In the background is a stage set up by Hamas with a propaganda message and four coffins. (Screen grab/YouTube)
On a stage set up by Hamas in Khan Younis, terror operatives display four coffins apparently containing the bodies of slain Israeli hostages, which were behind a curtain.
Hamas has said it is handing over the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two children Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz.
The coffins are labeled with a picture of each hostage. The Kfir and Ariel Bibas coffins have the names switched. The coffins of Oded Lifshitz and Shiri Bibas specify October 7, 2023, as their “Date of Arrest.” Tags given to living hostages at release ceremonies have carried the same message.
Coffins apparently containing the bodies of slain Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas, her two children Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz, are displayed on a stage with a propaganda message before being handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Feb. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
On the stage, a large propaganda poster, portraying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire above pictures of the four hostages, denounces Israel and blames Israel for killing the four. Hamas also displays munitions allegedly used by Israel.
Red Cross vehicles have arrived at the site to take the bodies and bring them to IDF troops in Gaza.
A Red Cross vehicle arrives ahead of Hamas handing over the bodies of four Israeli hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Feb. 20, 2025 (Screen grab/YouTube)
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 20, 2025
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