1 day ago
18
February 20, 2025 | 02:14 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel on Thursday, February 20, 2025, informed that they are ready to bring home the bodies of the baby named Kfir Bibas and their 4-year-old sibling Ariel. The two toddlers were the youngest hostages of Hamas, kidnapped during an attack on October 7, 2025.
As quoted from Reuters, Hamas said that the bodies of the two boys and their mother named Shiri Bibas, along with another hostage, Oded Lifschitz, will be handed over to Israel on Thursday local time. The release of the hostages is part of the ceasefire agreement last month mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this handover would be “a day of grief.”
Kfir Bibas was nine months old when Hamas took the family hostage. In November 2023, Hamas said, the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike, though the deaths were never confirmed. Some in Israel still refuse to accept they were dead, Reuters reported.
"Shiri and the kids became a symbol. I still hope that they will be alive," said Yiftach Cohen, a settler in Nir Oz.
Yarden Bibas, the father of Kfir Bibas and Ariel, was previously released by Hamas this month. However, the Bibas family stated this weekend that their “journey is not over” until they receive the final explanation of what happened to Kfir Bibas, Ariel, and their mother Shiri.
This will be the first time a hostage handover process is carried out with the hostages being deceased. Israel plans to confirm their identities through a full DNA check and provide a statement confirming whether the bodies are indeed Kfir Bibas, Ariel, and their mother.
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which has been in place since January 19, 2025, remains fragile. However, several hostages have been successfully released by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
Editor’s Choice: Bali's Uluwatu Ranked Among Top Sunset Spots in the World
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Putin-Trump Meeting is Possible This Month but May Be Later, Kremlin Says
19 jam lalu
Trump would probably meet Putin this month and dismissed Ukraine's concern about being left out of U.S.-Russian talks in Saudi Arabia.
Europe Steps Up to Guarantee Ukraine's Security Without the U.S. and Russia
1 hari lalu
Europe has stated its readiness to ensure Ukraine's security amidst the planned meeting of the US and Russia to discuss the resolution of the war.
2 Israeli Soldiers Escape from Amsterdam While on Vacation; Here's Why
1 hari lalu
Two Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza have fled Amsterdam & returned to Israel after a pro-Palestinian organization tracked them down on social media.
Speaking in Israel, US Senator: Trump's Gaza Plan Lacks Senate Support
2 hari lalu
Senator Lindsey Graham stated there is little desire for the US to take over Gaza as proposed by Trump, 'in any way or form.'
Netanyahu Says Israel and U.S. Are Determined to Thwart Iran
2 hari lalu
Netanyahu said Israel had dealt a "mighty blow" to Iran since the start of the war in Gaza.
Mistaken for Palestinians, Two Israeli Citizens Shot 17 Times in Miami
2 hari lalu
Mordechai Brafman shot at a car carrying two Israeli citizens in Miami, mistaking the victims for Palestinians
Israel Receives Shipment of Heavy Bombs from Trump Amid Ceasefire
2 hari lalu
The delivery of heavy bombs to Israel was made after Donald Trump lifted the export ban on the ammunition that had been imposed by Joe Biden.
Hamas Ready to Hand Over Control of Gaza to the Palestinian National Authority
3 hari lalu
Hamas has expressed its readiness to hand over control of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian National Authority and the government commission, as reported by Sky News Arabia.
Trump Backs 'Hard Stance' on Gaza, Says He Does Not Know What Israel Will Do
5 hari lalu
U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza amid a fragile ceasefire.
Gaza Militant Groups Name Three Hostages to Be Released on Saturday
5 hari lalu
Hamas in Gaza said they would release hostages Iair Horn, U.S.-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen and Russian-Israeli Alexandre Sasha Troufanov on Saturday.
