Hamas To Return Bodies Of Bibas Children, Youngest Hostages Taken To Gaza

Hamas will return the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the youngest captives held in Gaza, on Thursday, the group said. Six other hostages will also be released on Saturday, exceeding the earlier expectation of three, according to Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas' negotiating team.

Who were the Bibas children?

Kfir Bibas, nine months old at the time of abduction, and Ariel Bibas, four, were taken hostage in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Their mother, Shiri Bibas, was also kidnapped along with them.

A video from the attack showed a terrified Shiri clutching her sons, with a Hamas operative nearby. The children's father, Yarden Bibas, was taken separately, visibly injured and bleeding. 

Kfir Bibas' photo - showing a red-haired baby holding a pink elephant toy - has become a symbol of the October 7 attack, appearing on posters calling for hostage releases.

Kfir Bibas, 10 months. Kidnapped by hamas. Bring him home. pic.twitter.com/PZnz0LysyU

— Ben Savage (@BenSavage) November 23, 2023

Are the Bibas children dead?

Hamas previously claimed they were killed in an Israeli airstrike along with their mother and released a video of their father, Yarden Bibas, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their deaths.

Israel did not confirm their deaths but informed relatives that survival was unlikely. 

Hamas had earlier released Yarden Bibas alive on February 1 under the current ceasefire deal, which stipulated the release of at least 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for over 1,500 Palestinian prisoners. 

Upon his return, he said, "My light is still there, and as long as they're there, everything here is dark," as per The New York Times.

Bibas family hopes for return

Hamas has now announced plans to return their bodies on February 20 along with another hostage, though the Bibas family says they have received no official confirmation of their deaths. Until proven otherwise, they are holding onto hope.

In a statement to BBC, the Bibas family said, "In the past few hours, we have been in turmoil following Hamas spokesperson's announcement about the planned return of our Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir this Thursday as part of the hostages' remains release phase. We want to make it clear that while we are aware of these reports, we have not yet received any official confirmation regarding this matter. Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over."

The announcement came as Israel confirmed discussions on the second phase of the Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated talks could begin this week with American involvement, aiming to finalise an agreement within the truce's 42-day timeframe. A longer-term deal remains an "option."

The ceasefire, which began on January 19, aims to end the war in Gaza. So far, 19 hostages have been freed, and another 14 are expected to be released soon, Reuters reported.

As of now, 73 hostages - some alive and some dead - are still believed to be in Gaza. During the October 7, 2023, attack, Hamas kidnapped 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people. In response, Israel launched a 15-month military offensive that has killed nearly 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.