Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas's death was confirmed by her community on Saturday, following the return of human remains from Gaza.

This announcement coincides with the planned continuation of a fragile ceasefire and the seventh hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.

Bibas and her two young sons, whose remains were returned to Israel on Thursday, have become significant symbols of the impact of the ongoing conflict in the region.

Hamas had initially claimed that the remains of Bibas were included in those returned to Israel, but subsequent Israeli analysis determined they were not her remains, leading to widespread grief and indignation among the Israeli public.

Kibbutz Nir Oz, the community from which Bibas was abducted on October 7, expressed profound sorrow over her murder, stating that she would be buried in Israel alongside her children.

The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed the transfer of additional human remains to Israel at the request of both sides, though it did not specify whose remains were included.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Hamas, asserting that the group would face repercussions for what he described as a 'cruel and evil violation of the agreement'.

He accused Hamas of murdering Bibas's sons, Ariel and Kfir, during their captivity.

In a statement, Hamas acknowledged the potential for an error or mix-up regarding the remains, attributing any confusion to the conflict's bombardments.

Despite the tragic developments, Hamas reiterated its commitment to the ongoing ceasefire, which has a stipulated exchange of hostages.

As part of this agreement, 19 living Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for over 1,100 Palestinian prisoners.

The seventh exchange set for Saturday will see the release of six living Israelis, the final group eligible under the ceasefire's first phase, while Hamas is expected to return four additional bodies in the following week.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group announced that Israel would release 602 inmates during this exchange, categorizing them based on their detention times and offenses.

Among them, 445 were arrested following the initiation of hostilities in October, with some serving long or life sentences.

Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari reported that an investigation indicated the Bibas children were killed by Palestinian militants, contradicting Hamas's claim that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for the deaths of the mother and her sons at the start of the conflict.

Family member Ofri Bibas articulated a sentiment of not seeking revenge while expressing discontent with the Israeli government's handling of their case, highlighting a lack of forgiveness toward Netanyahu for perceived neglect.

The conflict has seen a significant increase in casualties, with 67 hostages remaining in Gaza and more than 1,200 people killed in the initial Hamas attack, which ignited the ongoing war.

In retaliatory actions, Israeli military operations have led to extensive casualties in Gaza, with estimates reporting over 48,000 dead, the majority being civilians, as per local health ministry statistics.

This challenging humanitarian situation continues to draw international concern and calls for de-escalation.