Israel has demanded that Hamas clarify the status of hostages Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, who reportedly remain in captivity in Gaza.
Despite the priorities for release under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement dictating that children would be the first released by Hamas, the Bibas family have been notably absent from the release list.
IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said last week that there are “grave concerns” for the fate of Shiri and her two children.
The latest developments come after Hamas breached the terms of the ceasefire by releasing four female soldiers — Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa, and Karina Ariev — rather than prioritising civilian women and children, as stipulated by the agreement.
This move further compounded fears for the Bibas family, who have become one of the highest-profile groups of hostages still held by Hamas.
Shiri, Ariel (5), and Kfir (2) had been expected to be among the first civilians released as part of the ceasefire arrangement. The Bibas boys are the only children still held in captivity after a November 2023 deal saw the release of over 100 hostages.
Since their abduction, there have been no signs of life from Ariel and Kfir, who, along with their mother, became early symbols of the violence. Hamas has claimed that they were killed last year by an Israeli aristrike.
Yarden Bibas, Shiri’s husband, was abducted separately and is slated to be released in the coming days under the same ceasefire agreement.
Following the announcement in November that Shiri and her children had been killed, Hamas released a video of Yarden, who had been told that his family was dead.
In February 2024, the IDF discovered additional footage from surveillance cameras showing the Bibas family’s abduction in Khan Younis.
Despite the uncertainty, relatives of the Bibas family remain hopeful. In a statement released on Monday, the wider family reiterated their belief that Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir would eventually be returned. “We said then, and we say now: We hold on to hope and continue waiting for their return. We await clarity regarding their condition,” the statement read.
While Hamas has confirmed that 18 of the 26 hostages still held are alive, the terror group has provided little information about their condition.
