Hamas says it will return four hostage bodies, including baby Kfir Bibas, amid ongoing ceasefire talks
Hamas has announced that it will return the bodies of four hostages, including those of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Kfir and Ariel. The children, aged just nine months and four years when they were kidnapped on 7 October 2023, were among the youngest taken during the deadly attack on Israel.
The Palestinian militant group claims the Bibas family died in Israeli airstrikes, though Israeli officials have not confirmed this. The children’s father, Yarden, was released earlier this month, leaving their fate unknown until now. The bodies are expected to be handed over on Thursday, 20 February.
In addition to returning the four bodies, Hamas has agreed to release six living hostages on Saturday, doubling the number originally planned. In exchange, Israel will free all women and under-19 detainees arrested since October and allow rubble-clearing equipment into Gaza.
A Family’s Agonising Wait
The Bibas family released a statement expressing turmoil over Hamas’s announcement. “We have been in turmoil following Hamas’s statement about returning Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir,” they said. They stressed that they had not yet received official confirmation and would not consider the matter closed until they did.
Israeli authorities said the returned bodies would undergo identification before any formal confirmation is given.
Ongoing Hostage Deal and Ceasefire Talks
Alongside the return of the four bodies, Hamas named two of the six hostages set for release on Saturday: Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed. Both men entered Gaza voluntarily in 2014 and 2015 and were reportedly suffering from mental health conditions at the time.
Among the others expected to be freed are Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen, and Omer Wenkert, who were kidnapped from the Nova Festival, and Tal Shoam, taken from Kibbutz Be’eri.
This exchange is part of the first phase of a wider ceasefire deal. In November 2023, Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for the next phase—securing the release of all remaining hostages and potentially ending the war—were scheduled to begin earlier this month but have faced delays.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed talks would commence this week. While reaffirming Israel’s stance against Hamas, he indicated that a prolonged ceasefire could be possible if negotiations showed progress.
The Human Toll of War
Since Hamas’s 7 October attack, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages taken, Israel has launched a relentless military campaign in Gaza. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 47,460 Palestinians have died in the offensive.
As the conflict drags on, 73 hostages remain in captivity—some dead, others alive, and some foreign nationals, including Thai and Nepalese citizens. Families of those still held captive continue to push for their loved ones’ release, while Israeli officials weigh their next steps in negotiations.
The return of the Bibas family’s bodies marks another grim chapter in a war defined by devastation, loss, and unresolved suffering.
