Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was martyred in an Israeli drone strike on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The death toll in the al-Bureij camp massacre has risen to 19
Nicolas Maduro: Maria Corina Machado and imperialism wanted to spread violence and chaos so there would be no elections.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro: We were able to neutralize 60 attacks on oil refineries and oil facilities and arrest more than 70 individuals involved.
CNN citing sources: Talks between Washington and Tehran are close to reaching a comprehensive agreement that could be concluded during the next meeting.
US Secretary of State: Washington will begin revoking visas for Chinese students affiliated with the Communist Party or studying in sensitive fields.
Israeli media: Western diplomats: There is a possibility that the US administration will sign an interim agreement or understanding with Iran.
Hamas: We affirm that we are making great efforts to stop the barbaric war on the Gaza Strip.
Hamas: We reached an agreement with Witkoff that includes the flow of aid and a professional committee taking over the management of the Gaza Strip's affairs immediately after the deal is announced.
Hamas: The agreement with Witkoff includes the release of 10 Israeli prisoners and bodies in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas denies Israeli claims about killing of Bibas children

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 Feb 2025 23:36
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Hamas denied Israeli accusations that its fighters killed Kfir and Ariel Bibas while in captivity in Gaza, calling the claims "pure lies" meant to deflect responsibility from the Israeli military.

Listen
  • x
  • A Hamas fighter takes up a position ahead of handing over four bodies to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 (AP)
    A Hamas fighter takes up a position ahead of handing over four bodies to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 (AP)

Hamas on Friday rejected Israeli accusations that the movement was responsible for the deaths of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, two Israeli children who were among the captives held in Gaza. The two were killed inside the blockaded strip, and their bodies were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross under a ceasefire agreement.

The movement dismissed the Israeli claims as "pure lies" and an attempt to "evade responsibility for the army’s role in the family's death."

Israeli occupation forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated on Friday that "Kfir and Ariel were killed in cold blood, not by gunfire but by hand."

In response, Hamas issued a statement rejecting the allegations, calling them "nothing but pure lies that add to a long series of fabrications spread by the Israeli military spokesperson over the past 15 months in the context of the genocide against our Palestinian people."

The statement continued, "This is a desperate attempt to evade responsibility for its criminal army’s role in the family's death, alongside its other crimes against detainees in Gaza."

Hamas accused the Israeli military and its media outlets of trying to "divert global public attention from their brutal crimes, genocide, ethnic cleansing, and massacres committed against unarmed civilians and all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip, only for the world to later uncover the falsehood of their narratives and the horror of their crimes against humanity."

Moreover, the al-Qassam Brigades announced on Friday that they had handed over the remains of Israeli captive Shirin Bibas, who died in Gaza, to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

"We handed over the remains of the Israeli hostage to them [ICRC]," Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida told Al-Aqsa TV.

Related News

Four European nations urge full UN membership for Palestine

'Israel' experiencing weakness after US aggression halted: Al-Houthi

Hamas hands over killed captives 

On Thursday, Palestinian Resistance factions handed over the bodies of four captives in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, to the International Red Cross, marking the first part of today's exchange deal.

Hundreds of Resistance fighters from the military wings of Palestinian factions took part in the ceremony to hand over the bodies of the four occupation captives east of Khan Younis. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu withdrew his participation in the ceremony to receive the bodies of the four Israeli captives."

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the commander of the Eastern Battalion of the al-Qassam Brigades in Khan Younis was also present at the Khan Younis ceremony.

On Wednesday, al-Qassam spokesperson Abu Obeida stated that the bodies of the Bibas family and the remains of captive Oded Lifshitz would be handed over, emphasizing that they were all alive before Israeli military aircraft deliberately bombed their locations in the Gaza Strip.  

Meanwhile, the military spokesperson for the al-Quds, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, Abu Hamza, announced the decision to release the remains of Lifshitz, also asserting that Israeli forces intentionally killed him during the war on Gaza.  

We saved the lives of the occupation captives, but their army killed them

At the same time, Hamas confirmed that the al-Qassam Brigades and the resistance "were careful, during the ceremony of handing over the bodies of the prisoners, to respect the sanctity of the dead and the feelings of their families, despite the occupation army not respecting their lives while they were alive."

Hamas added, "We preserved the lives of the Israeli captives, provided them with what we could, and treated them humanely, but their army killed them along with their captors."

The movement emphasized that "the Zionist enemy army killed its prisoners by bombing their detention centers, and the Nazi occupation government bears full responsibility for repeatedly obstructing the exchange agreement."

Hamas stated: "The criminal Netanyahu is crying today over the bodies of his prisoners who returned to him in coffins, in a blatant attempt to evade responsibility for their killing before his supporters."

The movement stressed that "the exchange is the only way to return the prisoners alive to their families, and any attempt to retrieve them by military force or return to war will only result in more losses among the prisoners."

  • Gaza
  • Palestine
  • Occupied Palestine
  • Hamas
  • Israel

Most Read

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, answers a question about his House Bill 3-C: Independent Special Districts in the House of Representatives April 20, 2022, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida (AP/Phil Sears)

GOP lawmaker says Gaza needs same end as WWII Japan, with nukes

  • MENA
  • 23 May 2025
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
Iran advisor reveals details of US-Iran nuclear talks to Al Mayadeen

Iran advisor reveals details of US-Iran nuclear talks: Al Mayadeen

  • MENA
  • 24 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Musk
US & Canada

'Off-boarding will begin tonight': Musk out of Trump administration

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference at a military headquarters in north-west London, Thursday, May 22, 2025, following a deal on the Chagos Islands. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych, pool)
Palestine

UK considers sanctions on Ben-Gvir, Smotrich over Gaza crisis

US distances itself from Gaza aid group under scrutiny
Palestine

US distances itself from Gaza aid group under scrutiny

'Child killer' painted on Gal Gadot's Hollywood star
Palestine

'Baby killer' painted on Gal Gadot's Hollywood star

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS