Seven wounded in suspected ramming, Israel seeks to extend Gaza deal's phase one

The roads are lined with people.

They are here.

From the early hours, they have stood - fathers lifting their children so they can see; mothers holding hands too small to understand but know; soldiers at attention; young men with heads bowed; elderly women with tears on their cheeks who have seen too much but still stand.

The boys on their bikes have stopped. The shopkeepers who have stepped outside. The bus drivers who have pulled to the side of the road.

Yarden Bibas eulogized his wife Shiri and their children Ariel and Kfir, who were buried together in the Tzohar Cemetery on Wednesday. 

Bibas, wearing an orange kippah, began by addressing his wife. "Mi Amor. I remember the first time I said 'mi amor' to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you if I was certain I loved you, not to say it carelessly. I didn't say it then because I didn't want you to think I was rushing to say, 'I love you.' Shiri, I'll confess to you now that I already loved you back then when I said "mi amor."

"Shiri, I love you and will always love you! Shiri, you are everything to me! You are the best wife and mother there could be. Shiri, you are my best friend.

Released hostage Iair Horn is expected to deliver a speech in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square on Wednesday afternoon. 

Horn, who was recently released from Hamas captivity, has issued multiple statements calling for the release of all the remaining hostages, including his brother Eitan, who remains captive.

Iair spoke about his relationship with Ariel and Kfir Bibas, saying he had just started to connect with Kfir when "it ended."

A rocket was launched at Israel from within the Gaza Strip and fell within the Strip, the IDF said on Wednesday.

Hamas said on Wednesday that the date for the release of the bodies of the Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners would be announced at the right time.

Released hostage Hisham al-Sayed, who was released from Hamas captivity on Saturday, was discharged from hospital on Wednesday, Israeli media reported. 

Crowds lined the streets of Rishon Lezion on Wednesday to accompany murdered hostages Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas on their final journey. 

It was requested by the family that only invited guests would be allowed to attend the funeral service; however, the general public has been invited to stand along the roads with Israeli flags.

Orange balloons, which had become synonymous with advocacy on behalf of the Bibas infant hostages due to their orange hair, were seen, as well as Israeli flags during the beginning of the funeral procession in Rishon Lezion. Some people were also seen bowing their heads as the vans carrying the Bibas family drove past.

"We see and hear you, we are moved and strengthened by you," the Bibas family said in a statement on Wednesday, speaking about the crowds lining the streets. "Yarden apologizes for not being able to come and hug each and every one of you. We hope for the day when we can once again be together in moments of joy and not sadness."

President's Residence lights up in Orange

The President's Residence in Jerusalem was lit up in orange in memory of the Bibas family.

The President's Residence illuminates in orange in memory of the Bibas family (credit: The President’s Office/Courtesy)

"Today, after 509 days, Shiri and her young children are finally being laid to rest with dignity in Israel," The President's Office announced in a statement. "At this moment, as the people of Israel grieve and bow their heads in sorrow, the President's Resident mourns with Yarden and the Bibas family.

"While an entire nation prayed and hoped for a different outcome, we are left wounded and in pain. Yet, even in our grief, we will continue to pray for better days and for the swift return of all the remaining hostages still held in Gaza."

Kidnapping of the Bibas family

On October 7, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, along with their father, Yarden Bibas, were abducted by terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Kfir was nine months old, and Ariel was four years old at the time.

Last week, the IDF confirmed the two brothers had been murdered by terrorists in Gaza captivity.

On Saturday, Shiri's body was returned from Gaza after the body Hamas had initially transferred to Israel was not hers.

Their father, Yarden, was released from Hamas captivity on February 1 as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal.

An agreement has been reached regarding the release of the four remaining phase one Gaza hostages, along with the Palestinian prisoners who were not released on Saturday, Hamas announced in a statement. 

“An agreement was reached to solve the problem of the occupation delaying the release of the prisoners who should have been released in the last batch, provided that they are released simultaneously with the bodies of the Israeli prisoners agreed to be handed over, in addition to the corresponding number of Palestinian women and children,” the statement said.

Additionally, Israel has requested that hostage bodies be transferred from Gaza to the Red Cross through Egypt, in order to prevent "celebrations," Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported on Tuesday night.

Israeli warplanes hit a town south of Syria's capital as well as the southern province of Daraa late on Tuesday, residents, security sources and local broadcaster Syria TV said.

A series of blasts and the sound of airplanes flying low were heard over the Syrian capital late on Tuesday, residents of the city and Reuters reporters there said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the strikes were to ensure that Syrian regime forces or other terrorist groups did not infringe on the IDF buffer zone in southern Syria. 

"We will not allow southern Syria to become southern Lebanon," he said in a Saturday statement. 

"The Air Force is currently conducting powerful strikes in southern Syria as part of our new policy of demilitarizing the region. We will not jeopardize the security of our citizens. Any attempt by Syrian regime forces and terrorist organizations to entrench themselves in the security zone of southern Syria will be met with fire."

Israeli planes struck the town of Kisweh approximately 20 kilometers south of Damascus, a Syrian security source and Syria TV said. The security source said a military site was targeted, without providing further details.

The Israeli Air Force is currently striking targets to the South of the Syrian Capital of Damascus. pic.twitter.com/EiN7vDfGo4

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 25, 2025

IDF strikes targets in Syria

Syrian reports indicate that two people were killed and several others were injured.

Al-Hadath reported that the airstrikes targeted a group of military vehicles inside Al-Kiswah on the outskirts of Damascus.

The IDF was reportedly conducting raids on two military sites south of Damascus, Al-Akhbar reported, citing Syrian Observatory. 

"Over the past few hours, the IDF struck military targets in southern Syria including command centers and multiple sites containing weapons," the military said. "The presence of military forces and assets in the southern part of Syria poses a threat to the citizens of Israel. The IDF will continue to operate in order to remove any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel.

Reuter contributed to this report.

Hostage deal negotiations are stuck, Israeli officials admitted to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday however, "the issue can be resolved," one official said.

Regarding the release of additional hostages, in recent days, inquiries and ideas have been raised, but there was no real negotiation, two sources involved in the negotiations told the Post.

"Witkoff did have a conversation with Dermer, and the mediators – there were ideas and inquiries, but no real negotiation with Hamas," said one of the sources.

On Thursday, according to the agreement, Israel is supposed to receive the bodies of 4 hostages murdered by Hamas.

After Hamas's handling of the issue regarding the return of the body of Shiri Bibas, and the humiliating ceremony for the other murdered hostages  – Kfir and Ariel Bibas, and Oded Lipshitz – Israel decided to delay the release of 600 terrorists who were supposed to be freed on Saturday until Hamas commits that in the expected release on Thursday, there will be no ceremony or desecration of the victims.