Yocheved was also abducted from their home on the kibbutz. She and hostage Nurit Cooper were freed after 17 days of captivity.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Speaking at the funeral of murdered hostage Oded Lifshitz, Israeli President asked forgiveness from the family and Kibbutz Nir Oz, and reiterated calls for a commission of inquiry on Tuesday.

“I stand here, facing the foothills of your land, and as the President of the State of Israel, on behalf of the State of Israel – I ask you – beloved Oded, respected and from your dear family – forgiveness. Forgiveness that the State of Israel did not protect you, your family and your kibbutz. Forgiveness that you are forced to stand alone in the face of human monsters. Forgiveness that we did not have time to save and return you and all your friends – from the jaws of the murderers, here, home, in peace. Forgiveness,” Herzog said.

“I humbly ask for this forgiveness from you too – the brave and noble friends and members of Kibbutz Nir Oz. As the President of the State of Israel, I ask in this painful and agonizing situation to bow my head to you too and ask forgiveness from all of you: Forgiveness that we were not here for you on that cursed day. Forgiveness for the omission and the eclipse of the lights that you paid, and we all paid, such a terrible price.”

Lifshitz, 84, was a retired journalist, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz in 1955, and a peace activist. He was known for volunteering for “Road to Recovery,” a non-governmental organization that transports Palestinian children with medical conditions to Israeli hospitals for treatment.

His wife, Yocheved was also abducted from their home on the kibbutz. She and hostage Nurit Cooper were freed after 17 days of captivity.

“Our abduction and your death shake me to the core. We fought for years for peace and social justice – unfortunately, we were dealt a harsh blow by the very people we helped on the other side,” Yocheved said.

Herzog also renewed his call for a commission of inquiry to investigate the failures that led to Hamas’s attack on October 7.

“I once again call for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry, which is the royal road of a reformed state – to delve boldly and professionally into everything that caused the failure and the terrible disaster. This is a critical milestone in the journey towards healing, rehabilitation, and building the state and society – after the terrible disaster,” he said.

On Sunday, the High Court of Justice gave the government a deadline of May 11 to update the court on its position on forming a formal state commission of inquiry. This was in response to a petition filed by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which sought the court to order the commission’s forming.

There have been growing calls for the government to appoint an independent commission of inquiry to investigate political and military failures.

Such commissions have broader authority to summon witnesses and collect evidence and are headed by a senior Supreme Court justice. They may include personal recommendations about individuals under investigation, though the government is not bound to act on the recommendations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other government ministers say a state inquiry into failings that led to Hamas’s October 7 attacks should only be held after the war. Critics accuse Netanyahu of delaying the inquiry and trying to water down the powers of a commission.

The last state commission of inquiry, which investigated Israel’s worst civilian disaster — a stampede that killed 45 people at a holy site on Mount Meron — held Netanyahu personally responsible for the tragedy in a report released in April.

The military presented its own inquiry to Defense Minister Israel Katz. That probe only dealt with operational and command issues and not political decisions.

At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 63 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.

The post ‘Shaken to the core’: Wife of slain hostage mourns betrayal after years of peace activism appeared first on World Israel News.

Thousands of Argentinians gathered to celebrate the lives of the Bibas family and mourn their tragic deaths at the hands of Hamas, who murdered them after kidnapping them to Gaza on October 7.

What a powerful moment:

Thank you to the thousands who gathered in Buenos Aires for a memorial service honoring the Bibas family and Oded Lifshitz.

Your support means the world .@IsraelArgentina pic.twitter.com/ZHZcjTf8Oe

— Israel ישראל (@Israel) February 25, 2025

The post WATCH: Argentina holds massive rally in memory of Bibas family, Oded Lifshitz appeared first on World Israel News.

Oded Lifshitz, an elderly great-grandfather and one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz in 1955, was tragically kidnapped from his home on October 7th and held in Gaza by Palestinian terrorists until they murdered him.

The post WATCH: The story of Oded Lifshitz appeared first on World Israel News.

Under international law, any handover of the remains of the deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk criticized Hamas for the ceremony it held during the release of the bodies of four hostages.

“Under international law, any handover of the remains of the deceased must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased and their families,” the rights chief said in a statement.

The captives included 85-year-old Oded Lifshitz, 33-year-old Shiri Bibas, and her two sons – the youngest Israelis taken hostage by Gazan terrorists on October 7th – Ariel and Kfir.

At an event held by Hamas in the Bani Suheila neighborhood of the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis on Thursday morning, a large crowd cheered as Hamas arrived carrying four black coffins in separate cars.

“As the bodies of four Israeli hostages are transferred by Hamas to the Red Cross, hundreds of ‘innocent Gazans’ dance to music and happily film this tragic event,” Israel’s Government Press Office wrote on X. “We are at a loss for words to describe how this makes us feel.”

Half an hour later, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced that the coffins carrying the four slain hostages had been handed over to the IDF.

“Israel has received, through the Red Cross, the coffins of four fallen hostages,” the PMO stated.

During the transfer of the bodies, a heated exchange took place between Red Cross officials and Hamas terrorists over the ceremony and the manner in which the transfer was handled.

Israel also protested to the mediators and filed a complaint with the Red Cross about the “ceremony.”

“The pain is indescribable. Our hearts, those of the entire nation, are shattered,” President Isaac Herzog said. “On behalf of the State of Israel, I lower my head and seek forgiveness. Forgiveness for failing to protect you on that tragic day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely. May their memory be a blessing.”

The post UN finally condemns Hamas, says ceremony over hostage bodies might have violated international law appeared first on World Israel News.

After 503 days in captivity, the remains of Oded Lifshitz have been positively identified, hours after they were returned to Israel from Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli forensics examiners at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute have positively identified the remains of one of the four bodies returned by Hamas on Thursday, confirming that the body of Oded Lifshitz was among those transferred to Israel.

Lifshitz, a former journalist, was returned to Israel via the International Red Cross on Thursday morning, along with the remains of Shiri Bibas and her sons, Ariel and Kfir – the two youngest hostages taken during the October 7th invasion.

In a statement issued via the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Lifshitz’s family expressed their “deep sorrow” after Oded’s identity was verified.

“We have received with deep sorrow the official and bitter news of the identification of our beloved Oded’s body. 503 agonizing days of uncertainty have come to an end. We so hoped and prayed that our ending would be different.

“Now, we can mourn the husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who has been missing from our lives since October 7th. Our family’s healing will begin now and will not be complete until the last hostage is returned,” the statement read.

Lifshitz, who was 83 in October 2023, was abducted, along with his wife, Yocheved, from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, before their home was torched by Hamas terrorists.

The couple has been described as peace activists who volunteered to drive Gazans from the border into Israel for medical treatment.

Yocheved was freed in October 2023, several weeks after being taken hostage.

The post Investigators confirm identity of slain hostage Oded Lifshitz appeared first on World Israel News.

The IDF has completed the transfer of the four dead Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, where specialists will definitively identify the bodies.

Israelis singing the Hatikvah (hope) as the IDF convoy carrying the 4 slain hostages arrives at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute ‍ pic.twitter.com/lSW1U8yVtv

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) February 20, 2025

Crowds who came out to pay respects to the murdered hostages break out in HaTikva, Israel’s national anthem, as the convoy bringing the bodies to the forensics lab passes

@Kessila_Selly pic.twitter.com/OOQFa4rkde

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) February 20, 2025

The post WATCH: Dozens of Israelis sing Hatikvah as murdered hostages are brought to the forensic facility appeared first on World Israel News.

The slain hostages expected to be returned for burial are Shiri Bibas and her young sons, Ariel, 5 and Kfir, 2, as well as Oded Lifshitz, 84.

By JNS

The heart of the entire Jewish nation is torn, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday evening ahead of Thursday’s release of the bodies of four hostages killed in Hamas captivity in Gaza.

The slain hostages expected to be returned for burial are Shiri Bibas, 33, and her young sons, Ariel, 5 and Kfir, 2, as well as Oded Lifshitz, 84, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed after officially informing the families.

“Tomorrow will be a very difficult day for the State of Israel,” the video statement by the Israeli premier opened. “A wrenching day, a day of grief. We are bringing home four of our beloved hostages, deceased.

“We embrace the families, and the heart of the entire nation is torn. My own heart is torn. So is yours,” stated Netanyahu. “And all of the world’s heart should be torn because this demonstrates who we are dealing with, what we are dealing with—with such monsters.

“We are grieving, we are in pain, but we are also determined to ensure that such a thing never happens again,” concluded the premier.

The Israeli health-care system and the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv are preparing to receive the deceased hostages, while mental-health organizations are gearing up to address the emotional impact on the families of the captives and the public.

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross are expected to take custody of the bodies from Hamas at a designated transfer point and hand them over to Israeli soldiers early Thursday morning. A military ceremony will be conducted inside the Strip by a rabbi, who will recite Psalms and recite the Kaddish mourning prayer.

They will then be airlifted to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, where experts are set to examine the remains to confirm identification and determine the cause and time of death.

The forensic identification process will include imaging scans, DNA sample analyses and comparisons with existing medical records, such as dental X-rays. This process is expected to take several hours.

Israel’s Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of many of the captives, has urged the public to refrain from spreading rumors and to avoid contacting families about the matter.

“We received the heart-shattering news that Shiri Bibas, her children Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz are no longer with us. This news cuts like a knife through our hearts, the families’ hearts and the hearts of people all over the world,” the organization said in a press release.

“They weren’t just names—they were beloved people, with families who cherished them, with dreams and futures stolen from them,” it said. “We grieve not only for them, but for the other precious lives lost, including four more deceased hostages who will be returned next week.”

According to official Israeli estimates, 73 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip after more than 500 days, including 70 taken during the Oct. 7 attacks. This figure includes the remains of at least 35 hostages.

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On Thursday, the bodies of four hostages, including Shiri Bibas, her two children, and an elderly man, are expected to be returned to Israel.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A forensic expert stated that identifying the bodies of hostages who have been held in Gaza for an extended period may not always be possible.

On Thursday, the bodies of four hostages, held in captivity for over 500 days, are expected to be returned to Israel.

Dr. Chen Kugel, director of the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir, described the process of examining and identifying the bodies before they are sent for burial.

Dr. Kugel will work alongside pathologists, DNA analysts, anthropologists, radiologists, and forensic technicians.

Kugel explained that identification is carried out using various scientific methods, all of which involve comparing data from the deceased with records from when they were still living.

The first step in the process is a CT scan, which creates a detailed internal image. Radiologists then compare this image with previous medical records.

The next phase is the autopsy, during which DNA samples will be sent to the lab for analysis, and forensic dentists will compare the teeth with existing dental records.

The entire process will take several days. Afterward, the family will be contacted, and the public will receive updates, if permitted by the family.

Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the Medical Directorate at the Health Ministry, stated, “The upcoming phase tomorrow is both complex and sensitive, and we will do everything in our power to ensure the slain hostages are laid to rest as swiftly as possible.”

Israel is preparing to receive the bodies of hostages who were murdered in captivity in the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The ceasefire deal with the Palestinian terrorist group stipulates that the bodies of four hostages will be returned to the Jewish state on the 33rd day of the ceasefire, which began on Jan. 19.

Those whose bodies are expected to be handed over to Israel on Thursday are Oded Lifshitz, 86, and Shiri Bibas and her two small children, Ariel and Kfir.

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