Hope for Israel’s youngest hostage as Kfir who was kidnapped at just 9 months old is one of 34 named in deal by Hamas

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HOPE is glimmering for the youngest Hamas hostage as he has been earmarked for release in the group’s latest deal with Israel.

Kfir Bibas was kidnapped at just nine months old and is now one of the 34 names on a list issued by the terrorists.

Smiling baby holding a pink stuffed animal.

Kfir Bibas, the youngest hostage taken by Hamas who turned one in January 2024, could be released[/caption]

The infamous footage of Kfir and his brother Ariel in the arms of their desperate mum Shiri Bibas as they were kidnapped on October 7[/caption]

Kfir’s dad Yarden Bibas (left) gave himself over to Hamas in the hopes of saving his family but was brutally killed by the terrorists[/caption]

The Bibas family’s ordeal began in unimaginable horror on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists stormed the Nir Oz Kibbutz in southern Israel.

Baby Kfir was taken alongside his four-year-old brother Ariel and their mother, Shiri.

The tod, nearing his second birthday, remains the youngest hostage taken in the attack after spending most of his life in captivity.

But reports now suggest that Kfir’s name is on a list of 34 hostages that Hamas has agreed to release as part of a potential prisoner exchange deal.

It gives a glimmer of hope for the boy’s devastated family, though it comes amidst agonising uncertainty.

Hamas has claimed that Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri were killed in an Israeli airstrike in late 2023, a claim the family has refused to accept as truth.

“We decided as a family we’re going to keep fighting and shouting for them, as if what Hamas said has never happened,” Kfir’s aunt, Ofri Bibas Levy, previously told The Sun.

“Even if there’s a one percent chance it’s not true, we will hold on to hope.”

A FAMILY TORN APART

The Bibas family has endured a harrowing journey.

Yarden Bibas, Kfir’s father, gave himself over to Hamas, believing it would save his wife and children.

Tragically, he was later filmed bloodied and being dragged into Gaza by the terrorists.

Months later, Shiri and the children were expected to be released as part of a ceasefire deal in November 2023, but the negotiations fell through.

Their absence was painfully felt during Kfir’s first birthday in January 2024, marked by orange balloons and a teddy bear cake in the abandoned Nir Oz kindergarten.

“We’re marking a birthday for a kid who’s not here,” Shiri’s cousin, Yosi Shnaider, said at the time.

The terror group’s refusal to clarify whether hostages are alive or dead has compounded the family’s torment.

The list of detainees reportedly confirmed by Hamas includes individuals classified as “living and deceased.”

However, Hamas insists it will take more time to verify the status of all hostages.

Birthday cake for Kfir Bibas, a hostage in Gaza, displayed at a kindergarten.

Orange balloons, a teddy bear cake and pictures of him painted a somber image as Kfir spent his first birthday in captivity[/caption]

A poster calling for the release of hostage Kfir Bibas, next to an orange balloon.

Kfir was only nine months old when Hamas terrorists kidnapped him alongside his mum and brother on October 7[/caption]

The Bibas family were snatched from Nir Oz Kibbutz (pictured) only 1km from the border with Gaza[/caption]

If the deal proceeds, Kfir and Ariel could finally return home, sparking hope for a family that has spent every day since October 7 grappling with fear and uncertainty.

“It’s the not knowing which is the worst,” Kfir’s aunt Ofri previously said.

“Are they alive? Are they dead? Are they being tortured? When was the last time they saw sunlight?”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that the military operation in Gaza will not end without a finalised agreement.

Meanwhile, Hamas continues to demand a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and a permanent ceasefire, even as its leadership and infrastructure face never-ending losses.

The kidnapping of the Bibas family

by Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter

ON October 7, 2023, the Bibas family’s life in Kibbutz Nir Oz was violently torn apart when Hamas militants stormed their home.

Among the 240 hostages taken that day were Yarden and Shiri Bibas, their four-year-old son Ariel, and nine-month-old baby Kfir.

In their final communication, Yarden texted his sister, Ofri, “They’re coming in.”

Minutes later, Hamas militants dragged Shiri and the boys from the house, with Shiri clutching her sons in matching Batman pajamas.

Yarden, attacked with a hammer, was left bloodied before being taken to Gaza.

Believing he could save his family, Yarden surrendered himself to the attackers, but his sacrifice was in vain.

While a released hostage confirmed Yarden was alive, Hamas later claimed Shiri and the children were killed in an airstrike—an assertion the family refuses to accept.

“Even if there’s a one percent chance it’s not true, we’re going to keep fighting for them,” Ofri said.

Baby Kfir, the youngest hostage, has become a symbol of the tragedy.

His first birthday in January 2024 was marked with orange balloons and a teddy bear cake in the abandoned Nir Oz kindergarten, a somber reminder of his absence.

“We’re marking a birthday for a kid who’s not here,” Shiri’s cousin, Yosi Shnaider, said.

Now, Kfir and Ariel’s names have appeared on a list of 34 hostages Hamas says it may release in a prisoner exchange.

While the group has not confirmed whether the hostages are alive, the Bibas family remains hopeful.

“The not knowing is the worst,” Ofri said. “We won’t stop fighting until they’re home.”

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