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The remains of Oded Lifshitz, 85, have been officially identified at the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, his family confirmed Thursday, hours after his remains were returned to Israel from the Gaza Strip.
“After 503 agonizing days of uncertainty, we have received the devastating news,” the family said in a statement. “We had hoped and prayed for a different outcome. Now, we can finally mourn our husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, whom we have missed since October 7. Our family’s healing begins now and will not be complete until the last hostage is brought home.”
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Hostage remains transported from Gaza to the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv
(Video: Israel Police, Herzl Yossef, Ido Erez, Or Hadar )
Earlier Thursday, the bodies of four hostages—Lifshitz, along with Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, according to Hamas—were transferred to Israel from the Gaza Strip. Their remains were delivered in a Red Cross convoy and received by Israeli forces, including members of the IDF’s 50th Battalion and Chief Military Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Krim, in a brief military ceremony.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation following the announcement, saying: "My dear brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, today we are all united in unbearable grief. Every home in Israel bows its head in sorrow. We mourn the terrible loss of our four hostages, and we all share in a pain that is mixed with rage. We are all outraged at the monsters of Hamas."
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Hostage remains received by Israeli forces, including members of the IDF’s 50th Battalion and Chief Military Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Krim, in a brief military ceremony
(Photo: IDF)
Netanyahu vowed that the tragedy reinforced Israel’s commitment to ensuring such atrocities never happen again. "The blood of our loved ones cries out to us from the earth. It demands that we hold these vile murderers accountable—and we will. Our hearts are broken, but our spirit remains unshaken. With this resolve, we will bring all our hostages home, eliminate the murderers, destroy Hamas and—God willing—secure our future."
Defense Minister Israel Katz also offered condolences while warning Hamas of its fate. "The heart of the entire nation mourns today. Hamas kidnapped, Hamas murdered and Hamas will be destroyed. We will avenge our enemies and secure our future."
The Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate also expressed condolences to the Lifshitz family, pledging continued support. "We bow our heads in sorrow and send our deepest sympathies to the family. We will continue to stand by them through these difficult moments and pray for the swift return of all the hostages."
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Thousands of Israelis lined the roads to honor the convoy, waving national flags, while crowds gathered outside the forensic institute in Tel Aviv, singing Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah.
Health Minister Uriel Buso said forensic teams would work diligently to confirm the victims’ identities and determine their causes of death, a process that "may take time." DNA samples had been collected from families early in the war to assist in identification, and forensic experts will use additional imaging, microscopic analysis and autopsies where necessary.
"The goal is to provide definitive identification and, where possible, information about how they died," said Dr. Chen Kugel, head of the forensic institute. He noted that prolonged captivity complicates such determinations but pledged to do "everything possible to provide clarity for the families."
The transfer of the bodies was marred by controversy, with Israeli officials condemning Hamas for what they described as a "cruel and grotesque spectacle" during the handover, which was also denounced by the United Nations. Israel has formally protested the incident to mediating nations and the Red Cross, accusing Hamas of violating prior agreements.
The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the arrival of the bodies and urged the public to respect the privacy of the grieving families. "This is a painful moment. We ask the public to avoid spreading unverified information and rely only on official updates," the statement read.
The Israeli public, deeply shaken by the hostage crisis, continues to rally for the return of those still held in Gaza. "All the hostages must come home," the Lifshitz family emphasized.