Israeli PM Netanyahu says Hamas will pay for not returning Shiri Bibas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel would make Hamas "pay the full price" for failing to release the body of hostage Shiri Bibas as agreed under a recent hostage deal.

"We will act with determination to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages—both living and dead—and ensure Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

A Hamas official told AFP on Friday that it was likely the body of captive Shiri Bibas had been "mistakenly mixed" with others who were killed and buried under the rubble in Gaza.

"It is likely that Mrs Bibas' body was mistakenly mixed with others found under the rubble," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the group was "investigating" the issue.

This came after Israeli forensic specialists said that one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Thursday was an unidentified woman from Gaza rather than Bibas, whose two sons, Kfir and Ariel, were previously confirmed among the returned remains.

Netanyahu accused Hamas of acting “in an unspeakably cynical manner” by placing the wrong body in the coffin instead of Bibas, who was abducted along with her husband, Yarden, and their two sons on October 7 attack on Israel.

It remains unclear whether the dispute will impact the planned release of six living hostages on Saturday or delay the next phase of ceasefire negotiations, expected to begin in the coming days with mediation from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt.