^{Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations meeting in Jerusalem, on Feb. 16, 2025. Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90.}

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.

^{Slain Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas, and her young sons, Ariel, and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz. Credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum.}

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.

Source: JNS