Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has taken to X to ask for forgiveness for not protecting the four captives, whose bodies were handed over to the Red Cross this morning in Gaza, Al Jazeera reports.

“On behalf of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness for not protecting you on that terrible day.

“Forgiveness for not bringing you home safely. May their memory be a blessing,” he wrote.

 A member of the Red Cross stands near a coffin during the handover of deceased hostages Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children Kfir and Ariel Bibas as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb 20, 2025. — Reuters/Ramadan Abed
A member of the Red Cross stands near a coffin during the handover of deceased hostages Oded Lifschitz, Shiri Bibas and her two children Kfir and Ariel Bibas as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb 20, 2025. — Reuters/Ramadan Abed

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