Our Executive Director, Maytal Kowalski, has released the following statement following the Hamas handover of three bodies of Israeli hostages, including 84-year-old peace advocate Oded Lifshitz, and children Kfir and Ariel Bibas. The mother of the Bibas children, Shiri Bibas was initially believed to be returned, however, during the identification process, it was determined that the remains were not those of Shiri Bibas and could not be identified as any known hostage:
“As an Israeli, I feel the pain of my fellow Israelis in learning of the killing of the Bibas children and their mother, Shiri, and of Oded Lifshitz at the hands of Hamas’ brutal terror regime. At JSpaceCanada, we stand in solidarity with the majority of Israelis who support the completion of all three phases of this ceasefire and hostage release deal.
As a Canadian, I feel grateful to live in safety and security in this country that upholds the values of equality, inclusivity, and human rights, and appreciate the Canadian government’s solidarity with our community as we mourn on this tragic day.
And as a Jew, I hold more tightly than ever onto our Jewish teachings that tell us that we are not obligated to complete the work, but nor are we free to desist from it, that to save one life is to save the entire world, and that there is no greater mitzvah than Pidyon Shvuim - the release of captives.
While anger, fear, and sadness are all legitimate emotions on a day like today, they are not an action plan. As we mourn, we must also commit ourselves to ensuring that this ceasefire and hostage release deal is seen through until the end, that every hostage is returned home, and that the war ends and a path to a two-state solution is embarked upon.”