The IDF officially confirmed early Friday the deaths of Ariel Bibas, 4, and Kfir Bibas, 10 months, who were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, following forensic identification of their remains.
According to the military, forensic experts at the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in coordination with the Israel Police, completed the identification process. Intelligence assessments and forensic evidence indicate that Ariel and Kfir were brutally murdered in Hamas captivity in November 2023.
The third body returned by Hamas as part of the latest hostage deal does not belong to Shiri Bibas, their mother, nor any other known hostage. "This is a severe violation of the agreement, which required Hamas to return four fallen hostages," the IDF said. "We demand that Hamas return Shiri Bibas along with all remaining hostages."