JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing public backlash after the bodies of four Israeli hostages were returned from Gaza on Thursday.
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas handed over the bodies of Shiri Bibas, and her two children; Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz in the southern city of Khan Younis under a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
Israel’s Army Radio said that the four hostages were held in eastern Khan Younis, where the army had operated for four months.
Hamas said the four captives were killed in indiscriminate Israeli bombardment in the Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu, who faces charges of crimes against humanity, sought to portray the return of the hostages’ bodies as a “political victory,” a claim that backfired on him.
The Israeli premier initially planned to attend a ceremony to receive the bodies returned from Gaza, but he canceled his appearance at the last minute, according to Israeli Channel 12.
The media outlet suggested that Netanyahu canceled his participation in the ceremony after families of the killed hostages protested the premature release of their names before forensic confirmation. His office had published the names before the Israeli forensic institute completed identification.
Israelis, including politicians and journalists, have blamed Netanyahu for the deaths of the hostages as he hindered efforts to secure a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, which they say was driven by his political interests.
“Since May 2024, 124 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza while a nearly identical deal was already on the table,” opposition Knesset member Meirav Cohen of the Yesh Atid Party wrote on X.
“How many more must die because of Netanyahu’s political and coalition interests instead of bringing everyone home and ending the war now?”
‘Heartless’ Netanyahu
Prominent Israeli journalist Ben Caspit lashed out at Netanyahu after the return of the hostages’ bodies.
“When there’s a success, it’s his achievement. When there’s a failure, others are to blame,” he said on X, referring to Israel’s military and intelligence agencies.
“There’s no way around it – we have to say it out loud: Benjamin Netanyahu is a terrible person,” he added.
Families of the hostages also criticized the Israeli premier.
Speaking to Channel 13, Elhanan Danino, the father of hostage Ori Danino, who was captured and killed in Gaza, said: “I searched for Netanyahu’s heart and couldn’t find it.”
As the bodies were transported, dozens of Israelis lined up along the roads waving Israeli flags.
The Israeli military held a brief ceremony led by Chief Rabbi Eyal Karim, where the bodies were placed in caskets draped with Israeli flags.
According to the public broadcaster KAN, the remains were then taken under police escort to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification.
Military officials stated that final identification could take up to two days, after which families would be formally notified, KAN said.
“This is a sad day for us as a family and for the entire country, but our hearts remain with those still in Gaza,” said Yizhar Lifshitz, son of Oded Lifshitz, whose body was returned.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its destructive war on the enclave. -AA
