The red-headed Bibas family became icons of the hostages stolen from Israel. Now we are having to face the day we have all been dreading since October 7: their return in caskets.

“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:18)

In what is sure to become a defining moment in Israel’s war with Hamas, the coffins bearing the bodies of little Kfir and Ariel Bibas, along Oded Lifshitz, a man who dedicated much of his life to helping people in Gaza, were all returned to Israel. However, the fourth coffin, which was supposed to hold Shiri Bibas, contained a body Israel has not been able to identify. It is not Shiri. This revelation has only added to the excruciating pain.

President Isaac Herzog made the statement to the people of Israel: “Agony. Pain. There are no words. Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters. On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day. Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely. May their memory be a blessing.”

On the same day, a baby born in Netanya was given the name “Kfir Ariel” in what is described as the “Jewish way” of continuing to love life while treasuring the memory of the dead.

The death throes of a death cult

Not wasting any opportunity to twist the knife, Hamas put on a show once again, with a huge picture of Netanyahu with blood dripping from his mouth, insinuating that he was somehow responsible for their deaths, conveniently sidestepping the fact that innocent children should never have been violently kidnapped from their homes in the first place. Hamas even put the little bodies in adult-sized coffins to take away from the visual impact screaming that the Bibas children were returning dead. They know it doesn’t look good.

Even the UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk, a voice more usually heard condemning Israel, spoke out against the sickening “ceremony.” He said it was “cruel, abhorrent, and flying in the face of international law.”²

The terror group reserved the first row for some of the released prisoners now back in Gaza, in exchange for the hostages. However, arial shots of the crowd showed that Hamas had gathered was pretty paltry. Hamas is losing its grip, despite their bluster and propaganda, and more and more Gazans are daring to speak out against them.¹ Moreover, a rainbow hung sadly in the sky, as if God Himself was saying, “Never again.”

 

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Symbols of innocence

The little children are inescapable symbols of the innocence of those ripped from their beds and stolen to Gaza. The Bibas family, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, has been devastated with Yarden, the father, left alone. His wife, her parents, and both of his children all cruelly murdered. The kibbutz itself was decimated with a third of all the buildings completely destroyed.

Although his death has had far less airtime than the now world-famous Bibas family, the life of 83 year-old Oded Lifshitz is an equally important loss. He spoke Arabic fluently, and was a tenacious advocate for the people of Gaza, helping with programs such as the “Road to Recovery” initiative to bring Gazan children to Israel for medical care. The people he cared for betrayed him, hated him, and killed him regardless.

The coffins were returned to Israel locked and without a key to open them, and Shiri’s coffin had a label saying she was “arrested” on October 7, 2023. It was all so sickening that Israel decided not to air the spectacle.

Instead, Israelis showed up in force as the bodies were returned, singing the national anthem, “HaTikvah” which means, hope, and streets were strewn with flags.