Patrick Kingsley

Exactly. The Hamas claim was that these two very young children and their mother were killed in Israeli airstrikes and that Netanyahu and the Israeli military was to blame for their deaths along with the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Exactly. The Hamas claim was that these two very young children and their mother were killed in Israeli airstrikes and that Netanyahu and the Israeli military was to blame for their deaths along with the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

And those images of a vampiric Netanyahu seem to be stuck to not only the banner on the stage that was at the center of this handing over ceremony, but also on the coffins themselves. And this was seen in Israel as enormously disrespectful, ghoulish, essentially. And that impression was taken to the nth degree once the bodies were examined back in Israel.

And those images of a vampiric Netanyahu seem to be stuck to not only the banner on the stage that was at the center of this handing over ceremony, but also on the coffins themselves. And this was seen in Israel as enormously disrespectful, ghoulish, essentially. And that impression was taken to the nth degree once the bodies were examined back in Israel.

The Israeli military said that the two boys were not killed in Israeli airstrikes and that an autopsy had revealed that they were killed by militants inside Gaza after their capture. And then they revealed something even more shocking. that the body of their mother, Shiri Bibas, was not actually her body at all.

The Israeli military said that the two boys were not killed in Israeli airstrikes and that an autopsy had revealed that they were killed by militants inside Gaza after their capture. And then they revealed something even more shocking. that the body of their mother, Shiri Bibas, was not actually her body at all.

It was the body of someone else completely, perhaps a Palestinian woman, who had been sent back either by mistake or by design to Israel. And this was a shocking piece of news for the Israeli public. This family had been one of the main emblems of Israeli trauma on October the 7th.

It was the body of someone else completely, perhaps a Palestinian woman, who had been sent back either by mistake or by design to Israel. And this was a shocking piece of news for the Israeli public. This family had been one of the main emblems of Israeli trauma on October the 7th.

And so to see the spectacle of these two young children and their mother being returned in this way, and then on top of that to learn that the mother, Shiri, was in fact still in Gaza, was an immensely triggering and re-traumatizing event.

And so to see the spectacle of these two young children and their mother being returned in this way, and then on top of that to learn that the mother, Shiri, was in fact still in Gaza, was an immensely triggering and re-traumatizing event.

It was, ultimately. Hamas said it searched again in the place where the Bibas family was buried alongside Palestinians killed during Israeli airstrikes at some point in the course of the war. And they quickly found the right body and returned it back to Israel. And that family was finally able to have some degree of closure.

It was, ultimately. Hamas said it searched again in the place where the Bibas family was buried alongside Palestinians killed during Israeli airstrikes at some point in the course of the war. And they quickly found the right body and returned it back to Israel. And that family was finally able to have some degree of closure.

But the fury of the Israeli government did not die down once Shiri Bebas's body was returned. The whole incident contributed to the Israeli decision to delay the release of the prisoners who were meant to be exchanged for the Bebas's bodies.

But the fury of the Israeli government did not die down once Shiri Bebas's body was returned. The whole incident contributed to the Israeli decision to delay the release of the prisoners who were meant to be exchanged for the Bebas's bodies.

I think there's a few different reasons. In part, it's seen as a counterpoint to the way that Palestinian detainees and prisoners are being released in what Palestinians see as a very humiliating manner. But it's also a means of projecting power and authority. They want to remind both the Palestinians of Gaza and the people of Israel that despite 16 months of war that was meant to force them

I think there's a few different reasons. In part, it's seen as a counterpoint to the way that Palestinian detainees and prisoners are being released in what Palestinians see as a very humiliating manner. But it's also a means of projecting power and authority. They want to remind both the Palestinians of Gaza and the people of Israel that despite 16 months of war that was meant to force them

From power in Gaza, they are very much still in charge.

From power in Gaza, they are very much still in charge.

It's hard to know exactly what level of authority or capacity they have in Gaza because we're not allowed in. The Israeli government is still not letting journalists into Gaza. However, it does seem from these videos and what reporting we are able to do that they are still the dominant force in Gaza. And if they want to organize a dramatic rally to send off the bodies of journalists

It's hard to know exactly what level of authority or capacity they have in Gaza because we're not allowed in. The Israeli government is still not letting journalists into Gaza. However, it does seem from these videos and what reporting we are able to do that they are still the dominant force in Gaza. And if they want to organize a dramatic rally to send off the bodies of journalists