Hamas ‘no longer has’ youngest Israeli hostage Kfir Bibas - The Jewish Chronicle

Hamas reportedly no longer has its youngest hostages, including 10-month-old baby Kfir Bibas.

According to the IDF, Kfir and his 4-year-old brother Ariel have allegedly been taken to Khan Younis under the control of a separate Palestinian militant group – the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Kfir and Ariel Bibas are carried by their aunt in the aftermath of Hamas's attack on Nir Oz, they remain kidnapped in Gaza [Missing Credit]

Israeli media reports that the southern Gaza city could be the next target of the IDF, giving rise to fears that hostages are being taken there to pressure Israel to extend the terms of the ceasefire.

There was speculation that Kfir and Ariel would be part of the latest release of hostages, as the tense ceasefire between Israel and Hamas holds for another day.

A family statement issued today said:“We are experiencing moments of great uncertainty. The realisation that we will not get the hug we wished for leaves us speechless.”

Earlier today, Hamas released 11 Israelis held in the Gaza Strip,bringing the total hostages released to more than 50.

The news of the hostages’ release came after Qatari mediators worked to resolve “issues” with the lists of Israeli captives and Palestinian terrorists to be released, an official briefed on the matter told Reuters.

CNN cited an Israeli official as saying there were “a number” of problems with Monday’s lists—one being that they did not contain any mothers. Under the terms of the deal, Hamas agreed that mothers would not be separated from their children, a condition that has been broken multiple times by the terror group.

Following Monday’s hostages’ release, the Israel Defense Forces’ Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories Unit announced that “200 humanitarian aid trucks are being dispatched to the international aid organisations operating in Gaza through the Rafah crossing, after having undergone a security check at the Nitzana crossing.”

Hamas kidnapped some 240 people during its October 7 assault on southern Israel, during which thousands of heavily armed gunmen murdered some 1,200 people and wounded more than 5,000 others.

In a statement on Sunday, the Gaza-based terrorist group said that it was seeking to extend the truce beyond the four-day period if Israel makes a “serious effort” to increase the number of Palestinian terrorists released from prison.

On Monday night, US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said that Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the ceasefire-for-hostages agreement by two days.

“The humanitarian pause in Gaza, now in its fourth day, will be extended for another two days, through Thursday morning Israel time,” Kirby told journalists during a briefing.

“In order to extend the pause, Hamas has committed to releasing another 20 women and children,”