Hamas’s youngest hostage: Family says their world collapsed when Bibas weren’t on hostages’ list to be freed

Ofri Bibas Levy, sister of Yarden Bibas, holding the picture of Kfir (File photo)

The Bibas family of Israel was devasted to not find the names of its four members, including the youngest 2-year-old Kfir, who were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The family released a statement on Saturday extending their greetings to the four female hostages released by Hamas. “Liri, Daniela, Naama, and Karina— We are waiting to see you smiling, wrapped in love, at home with your incredible families,” the statement said, as reported by Times of Israel.
“Shiri, Yarden, Ariel, and Kfir— We will continue to hope and demand your return,” they added.
The family questioned the Israeli government over for not providing certainty regarding the Gaza truce deal.
“Does the grave concern for their lives cancel out the fact that they are civilians in captivity who must be brought home? Does the grave concern for their lives negate the fact that the state is obligated in this deal to provide us with certainty?” they asked.
Baby Bibas had just begun taking his first steps, when he was abducted alongside his four-year-old brother Ariel and their mother, Shiri, 32, during a Hamas raid on Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Here’s the full statement by the family:
The 477th morning,
Once again, we found no rest last night.
Yesterday at 16:00, when the list of those set for release was published, our world collapsed.
Even though we were prepared for this possibility, we had hoped to see Shiri and the children on the list that was supposed to be for civilian women.
In the evening, when we turned on the news, our pain, our struggle, and, most importantly, the crucial discussion about the complexity and tragedy of them not being on the list disappeared from the mouths of the broadcasters in the studios.
Does the grave concern for their lives cancel out the fact that they are civilians in captivity who must be brought home?
Does the grave concern for their lives negate the fact that the state is obligated in this deal to provide us with certainty?
Does the grave concern for Shiri’s life mean that there is no longer a need to display her photo as a kidnapped civilian in Gaza whose fate remains unknown?
The answer is — No.
Thank you, dear supporters, for not giving up, for continuing to pray, hope, and demand answers.