After Israel claimed that a body returned by Hamas Thursday was not of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas, the Palestinian militant group on Friday (Feb 21) said that the Israeli hostage's remains had been burried in the rubble along with other human remains after an Israeli air strike hit the place where she was being held captive. 

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Hamas official Ismail al-Thawabteh claimed that Shiri's body was "turned into pieces" after apparently being mixed with other bodies under the rubble in the attack. He stressed that Israel was behind her death. 

For the last one year, Hamas has been claiming that Shiri and her two young sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike. 

Also read: Hamas murdered youngest hostages Ariel and Kfir Bibas, says Israel, mother's body missing

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They said the remains placed in a coffin labeled with Shiri’s face were actually that of an unidentified Gazan woman.

On Thursday, Hamas handed over the remains of what it claimed were of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, along with the body of Oded Lifshitz, an Israeli journalist and advocate for Palestinian rights. This marked the first return of Israeli bodies under the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza.    

Hamas in a statement, said that it will examine these allegations "very seriously" and announce the results of its investigation. 

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Also read: ‘Death cult’: Netanyahu vows vengeance against Hamas after it ‘parades dead bodies’ of Israeli hostages

'Unspeakable cynicism'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday slammed "unspeakable cynicism" of Hamas after Israeli forensic authorities determined that the body handed over yesterday which Hamas said was of Shiri, is not her's. 

“The cruelty of the Hamas monsters knows no bounds,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.

He added, "Not only did they kidnap the father, Yarden Bibas, but the young mother, Shiri, and their two small babies. But in an unspeakably cynical manner, they did not return Shiri alongside her young children, the little angels, and they put the body of a Gazan woman in the coffin.”

Also read: ‘We hoped, prayed for a different ending’: Families crushed as Hamas releases Israeli hostages’ bodies

He vowed to act "resolutely to bring Shiri home along with all our hostages, both living and dead, and ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and evil violation of the agreement.”

Herzog slams Hamas for 'horrific violation' of deal 

Israeli President Isaac Herzog slammed the Palestinian militant group of “horrific violation” after it handed over the body of an unidentified Gazan woman. 

“The bodies of Ariel and Kfir, so pure and innocent, were identified, while their beloved mother, Shiri, remains in captivity,” says Herzog in a statement. “This is a shocking and horrific violation of the ceasefire agreement, another cruel act by the terrorists of Hamas, who continue to show utter disregard for humanity.”

Also read: Israel's Bat Yam hit by multiple bus explosions in 'suspected terrorist attack'

(With inputs from agencies)