Hamas reported that the ten-month-old Kfir Bibas, who was taken hostage, was killed in an Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip alongside his mother and brother.
Bibas was abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz along with his four-year-old brother, Ariel, and their mother, Shiri. His father, Yarden, was also taken during the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Hamas: 10-Month-Old Baby Killed in Israeli Bombing
A captured footage showed the family's abduction as Shiri was holding her two sons as they were sent away. While Yarden was seen with an apparent head injury.
Kibas' relatives campaigned for the family's release after they heard the brothers were not included in groups of those freed under the temporary truce on Wednesday. Hamas did not mention Yarden's death in a statement about the Israeli bombing.
The relatives commented on the statement of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and said, "Our family has learned of Hamas's latest claims. 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 kindly request privacy during this difficult time."
Furthermore, the Israel Defense Forces were still trying to verify the claims. IDF representatives spoke with the Bibas family following the recent reports and stayed with them during this challenging time while assessing the accuracy of the information.
IDF said that Hamas must be held accountable for the security of all hostages in the Gaza Strip. They added that Hamas's actions continue to endanger the hostages, which include risking nine children's lives, and Hamas must release the hostages immediately.
Bibas' relatives released a heartfelt statement and spoke about their devastation upon hearing Hamas' claims. They said that they were waiting and hoping to see and hug their family again, and it has been unbearably difficult for them since the beginning of the ceasefire.
The relatives demanded their family's immediate release due to the humanitarian emergency reasons that should not be ignored. On Tuesday, Yarden's sister, Ofri Bibas Levy, and cousin, Eylon Keshet, also expressed concern about the family living in a complete nightmare.
The Israeli authorities concluded that Hamas had handed over the family to another Palestinian militant group, which complicates the efforts to release them.
Other Families Campaign for Hostages' Release
The families of two young men who were abducted from the Supernova music festival went to London to campaign for their release. Orit Meir, mother of Almog Meir Jan, who was taken hostage, cried as she watched the abduction footage of her son.
She said she saw him lying on the floor with four other young guys. She saw his terrified son covering his face with his hands, and she wanted to shout and cry.
The mother of the two reached out to the Red Cross to check on her son if he was still alive, as her first goal was to bring her son back.
Ilay David, brother of Evyatar, who was taken hostage, saw the horrible videos of Hamas featuring his brother. The family has been clueless about Evyatar's well-being for more than 54 days.
David said he also wanted to raise awareness about the male hostages who have not been included in the current hostage negotiation.
