The family of Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel and Kfir, are enduring heartbreak and turmoil after Hamas claimed that they are dead and their bodies will soon be sent back to Israel. The three were captured by Hamas during the group’s brutal attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Shiri, 33, and her two sons, Ariel, aged five, and Kfir, just two years old, were abducted during the tragic day of violence, along with Shiri’s husband, Yarden, 35. Yarden was severely injured after being hit on the head with a hammer, and the family was taken from their home.
Shiri’s desperate image clutching her sons as they were led away by Hamas militants became a symbol of the terror that unfolded that day. Meanwhile, Kfir’s innocent smile provided a glimmer of hope to the world as people rallied to support efforts for their safe return.
Despite months of uncertainty and prayers for their safe return, Hamas has now announced that Shiri and her sons are dead, and their bodies will be released alongside six living hostages on Thursday. The Israeli government has yet to confirm the identities of those to be released.
The Bibas family expressed their devastation after hearing Hamas’s claim, releasing a statement that said they are “in turmoil.” “Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over,” the family stated.
Yarden Bibas, the husband and father of the family, was released on February 1 after spending 484 days in Gaza, separated from his family. During this time, his relatives had not received any proof of life for Shiri and the children, and they had feared the worst. Earlier reports had falsely claimed that Shiri and the children had died in an Israeli airstrike, which caused even more anxiety and despair for the family. However, there had been no confirmation, and they continued to hold onto hope that they were still alive.
The family was living in their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas militants launched their attack. As gunmen stormed the homes of their neighbours, Yarden sent a text message at 9:43am to his sister, Ofri Bibas Levy, 38, a trained occupational therapist, to warn her, saying, “They’re coming in.” This was the last message she received from him. A disturbing video soon surfaced, showing Shiri in terror as she clung to her children while Hamas gunmen led them away from the house. Moments later, Yarden was struck on the head with a hammer and dragged away in a bloodied state.
One year later, as Ofri reflected on the traumatic events, she told The Sun: “The last year has been a nightmare. I could never imagine something like that would happen to me and my family. We live every day with a constant feeling of fear – and uncertainty.” The hardest part, she said, was the not knowing. “Are they alive? Are they dead? Are they being tortured? Did they get to eat today, something to drink? When was the last time they even saw sunlight?”
Even after hearing the heartbreaking news from Hamas, Ofri held onto a small hope. “It was a real shock to hear that but after a few days we thought okay, they say that, but we don’t know for sure. And even if there is a 1% chance of that not being true, we decided as a family that we’re going to keep fighting and keep demanding and keep shouting for them. That keeps us able to still hope in some way.”
Ofri’s emotional pain became even more evident when she spoke about how Kfir never had the chance to celebrate a birthday outside Gaza. “Kfir never celebrated a birthday outside of Gaza,” she said, lamenting the lost childhood experiences of the youngest member of the family.
For months, the Bibas family urged Israeli officials to negotiate a ceasefire deal that would bring back their loved ones. When the ceasefire was eventually signed, their emotions were mixed, as they had no way of knowing whether the family members were alive or dead.
On February 20, Israel is expected to receive the bodies of four hostages from Hamas.