Israel-Hamas war
The infant was kidnapped along with his brother Ariel and their mother Shiri, who the group said also died
A 10-month-old baby, the youngest hostage to be kidnapped and taken to Gaza, was reportedly killed along with his mother and brother in an Israeli bombing, Hamas claimed.
Kfir Bibas was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his four-year-old brother Ariel and their mother Shiri. His father, Yarden, was also kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 240 taken hostage.
Footage of the family’s abduction showed a terrified Shiri clutching her two sons as they were packed away. Yarden appeared in a separate video with an apparent head injury.
Their relatives campaigned for their release after the brothers were not included in the groups of those released under the temporary ceasefire.
The Israeli family of the youngest hostage held in Gaza is calling for his release
Earlier on Wednesday, relatives said their loved ones were not among the hostages to be released as negotiations to extend the ceasefire continued.
Shortly before Wednesday’s scheduled release of women and children, Hamas’ military wing said Kfir had been killed along with his brother and their mother in an earlier Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip. Yarden was not mentioned.
In a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the relatives said: “Our family has learned of the recent claims by Hamas. We are waiting for the information to be confirmed and hopefully refuted by military officials. We thank the people of Israel for their warm support, but ask for privacy during this difficult time.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was trying to verify the claims. A statement said: “IDF officials have spoken to the Bibas family following recent reports and are with them during this difficult time. The IDF is currently verifying the accuracy of the information.
“Hamas has sole responsibility for the safety of all hostages in the Gaza Strip. Hamas must be held accountable. Hamas’ actions continue to endanger the hostages, who include nine children. Hamas must release our hostages immediately.”
At JW3 in north London, empty chairs and a high chair represented missing people, including Ariel, four, and Kfir, who was nine months old when he was taken hostage. Photo: Lucy North/PA
Hours earlier, the relatives of the four hostages had released a heartfelt statement in which they spoke of their despair that they were not among those set to be released on Wednesday.
“These last few days since the start of the ceasefire have been unbearably difficult for us. We wait and hope to see and hug our family again,” they said.
“Time is of the essence – every single day in captivity poses a huge risk to their lives and could cause irreversible damage to their bodies and minds. We call for their immediate release on grounds of humanitarian emergency that cannot be ignored. You must be released NOW!”
In a press conference on Tuesday, Yarden’s sister Ofri Bibas Levy and her cousin Eylon Keshet said they were “sickly worried” about the family and were living in a “complete nightmare.”
Israeli authorities said Tuesday they believed Hamas had handed the family over to another Palestinian militant group, potentially complicating efforts to free them.
The latest allegations are likely to add to the grief of other families whose loved ones are still being held hostage.
The families of two young men kidnapped from the Supernova music festival have traveled to London to campaign for their release.
Aviram Meir holds a January 21 poster of his nephew Almog Meir, who is a Hamas hostage. Photo: Sam Hall/PA
Orit Meir, 61, cried as she recounted seeing the footage of her son Almog Meir Jan, 21, in a hostage video released by Hamas.
“I saw him lying on the ground with four other young men. My son covers his face with his hands and looks scared and scared. It’s terrible; I want to scream, I want to cry,” she said.
The mother of two, who was due to meet MPs in Westminster, said she wanted the Red Cross to check on her son and let her know if he was alive. “The first goal is to bring Almog back. That’s why we came here,” she said.
Ilay David, 26, said he had seen several “terrible” Hamas videos featuring his brother Evyatar, 22.
“But for most of the hostages we have not had any sign of life for more than 54 days and we have no idea how they are doing, it may cost their lives,” he said.
David said he also wanted to draw attention to the male hostages who were not included in the current deal.
“We are very afraid that after the release of children and women, the world will forget our loved ones and that the global community will feel: ‘That’s it, mission accomplished,'” he said.
“That they will be forgotten by more than 100 men and that the only crime they committed was partying at a party or just living at home, and that is the most important thing.”
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