The Israeli military said on Wednesday it had spoken to members of the Bibas family after Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, claimed that three members of the Israeli family – Shiri Bibas and her two children, 4 years old Ariel and 10-month-old Kfir were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said the IDF was “checking the reliability of the information.”
The armed wing of Hamas, considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel, said on social media on Wednesday that the three civilians had previously been killed by attacks by the Israel Defense Forces, but gave no further details about their suspected deaths. CBS News could not independently verify the claim.
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Hagari said: “IDF representatives have spoken to the members of the Bibas family, informed them of the publication and are currently accompanying them.” He also said: “The responsibility for the safety of all abductees in the Gaza Strip lies entirely with the terrorist organization Hamas.”
The Bibas family said in a statement that it had heard the claims and was “awaiting confirmation and hopefully refutation of the information by military officials.”
The Bibas children have become powerful symbols of the plight of the approximately 160 people believed to still be held captive in Gaza following the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel on October 7.
Ofri Bibas Levy wears a shirt with her brother, sister-in-law and two children, ages 4 and 10 months, who were held captive in Gaza on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Ariel Schalit/AP
Video clips apparently shot by the militants showed the Bibas children and their two parents being detained during Hamas raids on Israeli communities near the Gaza border during the group’s unprecedented attack.
Hamas has previously claimed that hostages it was holding were killed by Israeli rocket and air strikes on Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack, but it has not yet provided evidence of those killings. Some previously declared dead were found to be still alive, such as Hanna Katzir, who was released this week after the Gaza militant group Islamic Jihad said she had been killed. Several people arrested by Hamas were found dead in Gaza, but the IDF accused Hamas of killing them.
On Tuesday evening, hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv to demand the release of all remaining hostages by Hamas. Many of the protesters – including an aunt of the Bibas children – were carrying or carrying pictures of the little boys or orange balloons to symbolize their solidarity with the red-haired youngsters.
Protesters released balloons in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, as they demanded the release of the Bibas family. Ariel Schalit/AP
Yifat Zailer, a cousin of Shiri Bibas, said on “CBS Mornings” Wednesday – ahead of news of Hamas’s claim of the family’s death – that the children got their hair color from their grandfather, who died in October with his wife was killed by Hamas militants. 7.
“Everything is surreal, a nightmare,” she said.
Hamas announced its action on Wednesday with just hours left of an extended, short-term ceasefire agreement that has halted fighting between Israel and Hamas since November 24.
According to the IDF, another twelve hostages held by Hamas were released on Tuesday evening, bringing the total number of people released by the group under the ceasefire to 86. In return, Israel released around 180 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas expressed interest this week in negotiating a new deal with Israel to extend the pause in fighting to allow the release of more hostages, but Israel has not confirmed any of the terms discussed. The negotiations are taking place in Doha, Qatar, with the Qataris acting as mediators between the warring parties.
None of the recently released hostages have spoken to the media. Many are still recovering in hospital. But her relatives have begun to reveal disturbing details.
“They saw no light, no sunlight,” Sharon Calderon, the aunt of two recently released hostages – 16-year-old Sahar and 12-year-old Erez – told CBS News.
She said the children were able to see a television so they knew their mother was alive during her captivity, adding that it was “very good for them to know she was alive.”
Efrat Michikawa, the niece of another hostage released under the deal, Margalit Moses, said her aunt was “the same but not the same, because nothing will return to the life that was before.”
In videos of Hamas militants handing over hostages to the Red Cross, the militants have portrayed themselves as caring and gentle. Some hostages said they were treated with decency, but there were also disturbing stories.
“When he arrived in Gaza, he was beaten by all the civilians,” the aunt of 12-year-old Eytan Yahalomi told French television, saying he was beaten upon his arrival in Gaza and forced to watch videos of the Oct. 7 massacres to watch.
She also claimed that the militants pointed guns at the crying child hostages.
Holly Williams and Sarah Lynch Baldwin contributed to this article.
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