Kfir, 2, and Ariel, 4, are the youngest of 251 Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Abducted 15 months ago with their mother, their fate is at the heart of concerns as a truce and releases loom. A nation holds its breath, hoping for their safe return…
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip enters its 16th month, hopes for a truce and the release of Israeli hostages are growing. Among the 251 people kidnapped during the offensive of the Palestinian Islamist movement on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, two young children are at the heart of everyone’s thoughts: Kfir and Ariel Bibas, aged 2 and 4 years old.
Harrowing images filmed and broadcast by Hamas on the day of the attack showed Shiri Bibas clutching her two little red-headed boys as they were kidnapped from their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz. These videos quickly became a symbol of the tragedy that struck many Israeli families that day.
Kfir, the youngest hostage, will celebrate his 2nd birthday in captivity
Kfir Bibas, who will celebrate his second birthday this Saturday, is the youngest hostage currently held in Gaza. Kidnapped at just 8 and a half months old with his brother Ariel and their mother, he will have spent the majority of his short life in captivity if a release does not occur quickly.
In recent days, a wave of support has swept across social networks in Israel. Countless messages accompanied by photos of the two brothers are shared, testifying to the fervor and hope of a nation awaiting their return.
Uncertainty has hovered over the fate of the children for 15 months
Since their kidnapping, no reassuring news has reached Kfir and Ariel. At the end of November 2023, Hamas even announced their deaths during an Israeli bombing, information which has never been confirmed by the Jewish state. Their father Yarden Bibas, 34, also kidnapped but detained separately according to testimonies from ex-hostages, also gave no sign of life.
Kfir and Ariel, symbols of “human evil” but also of “the victory of life”
For many Israelis, the fate of the Bibas children crystallizes the full horror of the conflict. “What happened to these children is a symbol, a symbol of human evil but also of the victory of life, if we manage to free them, whatever the price to pay,” confides Hila Shlomo, a musician from 23 years moved to tears.
How is it possible that my grandson, who was kidnapped at 8 and a half months old, is celebrating his second birthday in hell?
– Eli Bibas, grandfather of Kfir and Ariel
The distress of loved ones is immense. At a weekly rally for the release of the hostages in Tel Aviv, the children’s grandfather Eli Bibas said, his voice breaking with emotion: “How is it possible that my grandson, who was kidnapped at 8 and a half months, celebrates his second birthday in hell? »
A hope of liberation with the truce agreement
Wednesday’s announcement of a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas after intense negotiations offers a glimmer of hope for the families of the hostages. According to sources close to Hamas, the captives would be released in groups, starting with children and women.
The fate of Kfir and Ariel, the two youngest hostages, should therefore be known quickly since their names appear, with those of their parents, on the priority list of 33 hostages to be released. A positive outcome would be an immense relief for their loved ones and the entire country, even if caution remains in order.
We are aware of reports that our family is part of the first phase of the agreement […] Given our past experiences of disappointment, we do not consider anything definitive until our loved ones have crossed the border.
– Press release from the Bibas family
For 15 months, Kfir and Ariel have been the face of innocence shattered by war. Their long-awaited release would be a symbol of hope and a first step towards appeasement. Israel holds its breath, united behind a single prayer: that these two little boys finally return home, find their toys, the arms of their parents. And celebrate their next birthday with family, free.
