A body released by Palestinian militants has been confirmed to be Shiri Bibas, the Israeli mother whose two young sons also died in captivity, according to a statement from her family.
Mrs Bibas's family said that DNA testing of the body confirmed her identity.
"We received this morning the news we had dreaded — our Shiri was murdered in captivity and has now returned home to her sons, husband, sister, and all her family for rest," the family statement said.
"Despite our fears about their fate, we continued to hope that we would get to embrace them, and now we are in pain and heartbroken.
"For 16 months we sought certainty, and now that it's here, it brings no comfort, though we hope it marks the beginning of closure.
"Shiri was a wonderful mother to Ariel and Kfir, a loving partner to Yarden, a devoted sister and aunt, and an amazing friend."
The confirmation came after Israel's army radio reported earlier on Saturday that the body was that of Mrs Bibas, adding that the mother was likely slain in captivity with her children.
The terror organisation Hamas had previously declared Mrs Bibas's body was among four sets of remains released on Thursday as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement, along with the bodies of her two young children.
Israeli forensic authorities, however, said while the children's bodies were able to be formally identified, the body delivered alongside them was not that of their mother.
Hamas has since said the remains of a Palestinian woman may have been mixed up with those of Mrs Bibas, adding it has "no interest in withholding any bodies".
Late on Friday, Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi told Qatar-based TV network Al Araby that Mrs Bibas's remains had been found and transferred to the Red Cross by another militant group, the Palestinian Mujahideen Brigades.
The Mujahideen, which is separate to Hamas but collaborates with it inside Gaza, is thought to have been responsible for holding the mother and her children during their captivity, and was involved in the handover on Thursday.
The Red Cross confirmed in a short statement that it had received human remains inside Gaza and transferred them to Israeli authorities, however it did not specify whose remains they were.
The remains have now been taken by ambulance to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for testing, though it is not known how long it will take for them to be identified.
Bibas family 'not seeking revenge right now'
Earlier on Friday, the Bibas family released a separate statement insisting they were not seeking immediate revenge for the deaths of their loved ones, while taking a swipe at Mr Netanyahu for abandoning hostages in Gaza.
Mr Netanyahu lashed out at Hamas after the identification findings were released, accusing it of breaching the ceasefire agreement and promising to enact revenge for the deaths of the Bibas family.
However, in a statement, Shiri Bibas's sister in law Ofir Bibas Levy said the family were not seeking revenge right now and simply wanted Mrs Bibas's remains returned so they could properly mourn her loss.
"Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were taken alive by a murderous terrorist organisation, and it was Israel's responsibility and obligation to bring them back alive," she said.
"There is no forgiveness for abandoning them on October 7th, and no forgiveness for abandoning them in captivity.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, we did not receive an apology from you in this painful moment — for Ariel and Kfir's sake, and for Yarden's sake, we are not seeking revenge right now, we are asking for Shiri."
IDF rejects Hamas's air strike claims
While Yarden Bibas was freed almost three weeks ago, Hamas says his wife and children were killed in an Israeli air strike in November 2023, one month after they were taken hostage.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said forensic tests conducted on the remains of Ariel and Kfir disputed that claim.
"Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood," Rear Admiral Hagari said.
"The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys — they killed them with their bare hands.
"Afterwards, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities.
"This assessment is based on both forensic findings from the identification process and intelligence that supports the findings."
Rear Admiral Hagari did not specify what the other intelligence was.
More than 600 Palestinians to be freed by Israel on Saturday
The saga surrounding Mrs Bibas's remains has threatened to derail further handovers of Israeli hostages, although it appears the current schedule of releases is going ahead.
Six Israeli hostages — the last living captives scheduled for release under the current six-week ceasefire deal — are expected to be handed over on Saturday morning local time.
Hamas named the hostages as Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov, Tal Shoham, Omer Wenkert, Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengisto.
In exchange, Israeli authorities are expected to free 602 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
445 of them were detained during the war in Gaza.
Another four bodies of dead Israeli hostages will be returned next week.
ABC/AP
