Israeli authorities have determined that Ariel Bibas, aged 4, and Kfir Bibas, aged 10 months, were killed by Hamas while in captivity, approximately one month after their abduction on October 7, 2023. The announcement, made on February 21, 2025, follows an analysis of remains returned by Hamas on February 20, 2025. This conclusion, based on forensic assessments by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, disputes Hamas’s claim that the children and their mother, Shiri Bibas, died in an Israeli airstrike.
The returned remains were identified as those of Ariel, Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz, a co-founder of Kibbutz Nir Oz. A fourth body, presented by Hamas as Shiri Bibas, did not match her DNA or that of any known Israeli hostage, leaving her whereabouts unknown. The IDF has suggested that the deaths occurred in November 2023 and views them as a violation of the ceasefire and hostage terms set in January 2025.
Netanyahu’s Statement
On February 21, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the situation in a video statement, expressing sorrow over the deaths of Ariel, Kfir, and Lifshitz. He remarked, “The State of Israel bows its head to two small children, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, and to Oded Lifshitz,” and criticized Hamas for what he called a deceptive act involving the substitution of an unidentified body for Shiri Bibas. Netanyahu pledged to continue efforts to return all hostages and hold Hamas accountable for breaching the agreement.
In a separate statement on February 20, following the return of the remains, he noted, “Every home in Israel bows its head today,” emphasizing a commitment to prevent a recurrence of the events of October 7, 2023.
The confirmation of the children’s deaths has raised questions about Shiri Bibas’s status, with no clear resolution at this time. The findings have also highlighted tensions surrounding the ceasefire, potentially impacting future negotiations
