Who Were Kfir And Ariel Bibas? The Youngest Hostages Taken By Hamas

Hamas said Tuesday that it would turn over the bodies of four Israeli hostages Thursday, including Kfir and Ariel Bibas – the youngest captives held by the group. This sets the scene for Thursday afternoon’s transfer, which the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed Tuesday had been agreed on in Cairo as part of the “return of four slain hostages”.

The announcement provides the strongest indication yet that the Bibas children who were nine months and four years old when they were kidnapped during Hamas October 7, 2023, attack are deceased. However, Israeli officials have not officially confirmed their deaths or commented on Hamas’ latest statement.

Israel has repeatedly expressed concern over the fate of the Bibas family. Hamas previously claimed in November 2023 that Kfir, Ariel, and their mother, Shiri Bibas, were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The group later released a video of their father, Yarden Bibas who was also taken hostage in which he blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their deaths. Yarden Bibas was later released alive on February 1.

In a prerecorded statement on Tuesday, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said that under the current ceasefire agreement, the “Bibas family” would be part of the body handover. If confirmed, this would mark the first time Hamas returns the bodies of hostages since the truce began.

The Bibas family, and specifically Kfir, have become an emblem of the October 7 attack. The red-haired baby, holding a pink elephant toy and smiling, has been placed on posters shown throughout Israel and around the globe, demanding that hostages be freed.

While the negotiations in Cairo are ongoing, Israeli officials still have not provided additional information about the deal or how they would confirm Hamas’ assertions.