Hamas denied Israel's announcement that the hostage body returned on Thursday wasn't that of Shiri Bibas, saying it was "surprised by the uproar" in an official statement on Friday.
"Hamas is surprised by the uproar following (the) claim that the body of Shiri Bibas does not match the DNA test," the terror group said.
The terror group stated that if it found Israel's forensic results to be true, it would "call for the return of the body" that was brought to Israel, which "the occupation claims belongs to a Palestinian woman."
The IDF confirmed on Friday morning that the hostage remains released on Thursday belonged to Ariel and Kfir Bibas. However, the third body "was not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. It is an anonymous body without identification," Israel's military stated.
Hamas added that there was a possibility of "an error or mix-up in the bodies, which may have resulted from the occupation’s targeting and bombing of the location where the family was present along with other Palestinians."
Hamas then claimed it would carry out its own investigation and would reveal the results.
Israel has used DNA and forensic techniques to confirm that the body is indeed not Shiri Bibas's. However, Hamas claimed it would carry out its own investigation and would reveal the results.
Hamas also rejected the threats made by Benjamin Netanyahu following the news that the three returned hostages had been murdered in captivity and that the body of Shiri was withheld, calling it "part of his attempts to polish his image before Zionist society and within the context of internal Israeli disputes."
Ongoing hostage deal
Speaking on the hostage deal, Hamas said it was committed to its obligations, "demonstrated by [its] conduct over the past days." It said it has "no interest in failing to comply or in retaining any bodies in our possession."
This is a developing story.