Hamas murdered young hostages? Israel claims 'terrorists' killed 10-month-old Kfir and 4-year-old Ariel Bibas with 'bare hands'
World News | Delve into the conflicting narratives between Israel's official claims and the Bibas family's request to avoid speculation on the manner of death of Kfir and Ariel Bibas.
Israel in a social media post has claimed that "a Jewish baby and toddler" were killed by Hamas terrorists with their bare hands.
The post on the State of Israel's official X account, run by the Israel Foreign Ministry, alleges that a baby and a toddler were "murdered by terrorists with their bare hands". This appears to refer to the Bibas children — 10-month-old Kfir Bibas and his brother four-year-old Ariel Bibas — whose bodies were recently handed over to Israel by Hamas.
Who are the Bibas children?
Kfir Bibas,10, and four-year-old Ariel Bibas were Hamas's youngest hostages. The young children were abducted alongside their mother Shiri Bibas from Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of a string of communities near Gaza that Hamas-led attackers overran on Oct 7. Their father Yarden was abducted separately.
Also read | Hamas murdered youngest hostages Ariel and Kfir Bibas, says Israel, mother's body missing
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At the time of the abduction, Kfir was just nine months old, while his brother Ariel was four years old.
Their bodies were returned by the Palestinian militants on Thursday (Feb 20). Their mother's body was also scheduled for release, but instead, an "anonymous, unidentified body" was handed over. The remains were finally released on Friday (Feb 21) after a lot of hue and cry.
Israel on Thursday, after receiving the bodies of the infant and the toddler, claimed they were "brutally murdered" by the "terrorists" while in captivity.
In a televised statement on Friday, military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari claimed that "Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood. The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys — they killed them with their bare hands."
However, the Bibas family has spoken against the narrative.
Also read | Five of six hostages slated for release handed over to IDF; Hamas says it’s ‘ready’ for next phase
'We have not received' any such details from official sources: Bibas
The Bibas family has refused to confirm the manner of death. In a statement, they said: "Any publication of details (including references to the treatment of the bodies) is against the family's wishes, and we ask that this be avoided."
"The family has not received any such details from official sources," it added.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.