Skip next section Mass funeral for Bibas family in Israel
02/26/2025February 26, 2025
Mass funeral for Bibas family in Israel
Thousands of mourners gathered in Rishon LeZion, Israel, for the funeral of , who have became symbols for the plight of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
The Bibas family was kidnapped as part of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians. Bibas, 32 and her sons Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months. Their bodies were returned to Israel last week.
Hamas has long insisted that the three were killed by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, but Israel has said an autopsy does not support that conclusion.
Shiri Bibas’ husband, Yarden Bibas, was also abducted but he was released alive earlier in February as part of a hostage-prisoner exchange with Hamas.
Speaking before the funeral, Yarden Bibas said it would be a private family gathering, but that he would not stop people from lining up along the funeral procession to kibbutz Nir Oz, where the family lived.
https://p.dw.com/p/4r45R
Skip next section Israel, Hamas reach last-minute deal02/26/2025February 26, 2025
Israel, Hamas reach last-minute deal
Egyptian mediators said on Wednesday that a deal had been secured between and to exchange the bodies of some hostages held in for prisoners in Israeli jails.
Hamas will release the bodies of four hostages, while Israel will free around 600 Palestinian prisoners, many of them men and children, Egyptian and Israeli sources told the Associated Press and Reuters.
The Israeli government had delayed their release for several days, which Hamas had called “a serious violation” of the ceasefire terms.
Hamas, which is classified as a terror organization by the US, the EU, Germany and others, also confirmed details of the deal overnight.
The move keeps the fragile ceasefire intact with only a few days left in the first phase of the agreement. Despite repeated accusations of violations from both sides, including Israeli airstrikes, the deal has largely held since it went into effect on January 19.
https://p.dw.com/p/4r43q
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