Hamas claims Israel killed 10-month-old hostage, 4-year-old brother and mother in Gaza
The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said Wednesday that the youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, was killed alongside his 4-year-old brother, Ariel Bibas, and their mother, Shiri Bibas, during Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip.
The terrorist group said on the messaging platform Telegram, as translated, that the death of the Israeli-Argentinian family was the "result of a previous Zionist bombing of the Gaza Strip."
The Israel Defense Forces said it is investigating the claim.
Hamas has been releasing hostages daily since Friday in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinians convicted or suspected of terrorism. The initial agreement, which was for four days and was then extended for two days with further releases, stipulated that 50 women and children kidnapped by Hamas would be freed for the release of 150 Palestinians.
However, women and children were released over the past few days, questions remained about where the Bibas family was, especially after a heartbreaking video taken by terrorists on Oct. 7 emerged showing the distraught mother holding her two young redhead sons as terrorists ordered her around.
IDF Arabic Spokesman Avichay Adraee said Monday on X, formerly Twitter, that the Bibas family were kidnapped by Hamas but being held by another Palestinian group in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
The Bibas family, including father Yarden Bibas, are among the approximately 240 people taken captive when Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and killed about 1,200 people. Israel has been bombing Gaza ever since, and the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths, has claimed 14,800 people have died as a result.