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Hamas announced on Tuesday that it will hand over the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the youngest captives held by the group. The release is scheduled for Thursday.
Additionally, the militant group stated that it will release six living hostages on Saturday—double the previously expected number—according to a statement from Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas’ negotiating team.
Confirmation From Israeli Authorities
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that an agreement had been reached in Cairo, allowing for the transfer of the remains of four hostages on Thursday and the release of six living captives on Saturday.
The office further stated that “four additional slain hostages are expected to be handed over to Israel next week.”
A spokesperson for the Israeli Hostage Families Forum confirmed that all affected families have been notified about the planned releases.
Possible Prisoner Exchange Between Hamas and Israel
As in previous weeks, Israel is expected to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli hostages.
This development provides the clearest indication to date that the Bibas children—Kfir, who was nine months old at the time of his abduction, and Ariel, then four—are deceased.
Israel has not officially confirmed their deaths and has yet to respond to Hamas’ statement.
An Egyptian source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to CNN that talks involving Egyptian, Qatari, Israeli, and American officials had succeeded. The source also stated that the upcoming release will mark the conclusion of the first phase of the Gaza hostage-ceasefire agreement.
Hamas’ Claims and Israel’s Response
Hamas previously claimed in November 2023 that Kfir and Ariel Bibas, along with their mother, were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The group released a video featuring their father, Yarden Bibas, also held hostage at the time, in which he blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their deaths.
At the time, an Israeli military spokesperson dismissed the video as “psychological terror.” However, the military later informed the hostages’ relatives that the Bibas children might not have survived, according to a spokesperson for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Yarden Bibas was released alive on February 1.
Symbolism of the Bibas Family Tragedy
The Bibas family, particularly baby Kfir, has become one of the most recognized symbols of the October 7 attacks. Posters featuring Kfir’s image have been displayed across Israel and internationally for the past 15 months, depicting the red-haired infant holding a pink elephant toy, smiling toothlessly at the camera.
Hamas’ announcement came on the same day Israel confirmed it would commence negotiations for the second phase of the Gaza hostage-ceasefire agreement.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that discussions with “our American friends” could begin “this week.” He emphasized the goal of reaching an agreement by the 42nd day of the truce, as outlined in the original deal, and suggested that a longer-term agreement remains “an option.”
