Israel Defence Force (IDF) claimed that the forensic reports of Ariel and Kfir Bibas suggested that Hamas killed both children with bare hands. The Palestinian group initially said that the two children and their mother, Shiri Bibas, was killed in an Israel airstrike
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Amid the brewing tensions between Israel and Hamas over the dead body of
Shiri Bibas, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Friday claimed that the Palestinian group murdered children Ariel and Kfir Bibas “with their bare hands”. The Israeli military noted that the forensic examination suggested that both the
children were killed just weeks after their kidnapping during Hamas’s October 7 surprise attack.
“We can confirm that baby Kfir Bibas, just 10 months old, and his older brother Ariel, aged four, were both brutally murdered by terrorists while being held hostage in Gaza no later than November 2023. These two innocent children were taken hostage alive, along with their mother, Shiri, from their home on October 7, 2023,” IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement.
“Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered by terrorists in cold blood.
The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys—they killed them with their bare hands.
Afterwards, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities.”-IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 21, 2025
The statement came just hours after it was discovered that Hamas did not return the body of the children’s mother Shiri. Israel claimed that the Palestinian terrorist group instead sent the body of a Gazan woman and later admitted that there had been a mix-up with the bodies during an Israeli airstrike.
IDF refutes Hamas’ claims
However, in the televised statement, Hagari maintained that the forensics clearly showed that the family was not killed in an airstrike, which was initially claimed by Hamas. “Contrary to Hamas’s lies, Ariel and Kfir were not killed in an airstrike. Ariel and Kfir Bibas were murdered in cold blood by terrorists,” he said.
“The terrorists did not shoot the two young boys — they killed them with their bare hands. Afterwards, they committed horrific acts to cover up these atrocities. “This assessment is based on both forensic findings from the identification process and intelligence that supports these findings. We have shared these findings, intelligence and forensics with our partners around the world so they can verify it,” the IDF official furthered.
Meanwhile, the IDF official also noted that he spoke to the children’s father, Yarden Bibas on Friday and asked him what had happened. “Yarden looked me in the eyes and asked that all the world know and be
horrified by the manner in which they murdered his children.”
“The entire world must know exactly how the Hamas terrorist organization operates. Ariel and Kfir were murdered, and then on Thursday, their bodies were returned in a cynical and cruel ceremony in Gaza. Shiri Bibas, who was meant to be returned with her children to Israel as part of the agreement, was not returned by Hamas. Hamas lied and violated the agreement,” Hagari furthered.
He said that Israel was demanding that Shiri Bibas be returned to Israel swiftly, “in accordance with the agreement,” and called the murder of the other hostages “crimes against humanity.” “The body that Hamas falsely claimed was Shiri’s was not hers, nor was it any other hostage. Instead, Hamas sent over the body of an anonymous woman. This is further evidence of Hamas’s barbaric cruelty,” he added.
Hamas says it is still committed to the deal
Meanwhile,
Hamas expressed surprise over the mix-up of Shiri’s body. In a statement released on Thursday, the Palestinian group said that it would “examine these allegations very seriously” and announce the results of its investigation. Hamas reiterated that there may have been an “error or mix up” in bodies found in the rubble of an Israeli airstrike, which it claimed killed Shiri Ariel and Kfir.
The group went on to request Israel to return the body of the Gazan woman that it accidentally handed over instead of Shiri. The terror group made it clear that it remains committed to implementing the current
ceasefire-hostage release deal and vowed to uphold “all of our obligations,” claiming that it has no interest in holding on to any bodies of hostages. It also said that it would proceed with the release of six live hostages which is due to take place on Saturday.
The hostages who are expected to be released in the recent exchange include, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem-Tov, Eliya Cohen, Omer Wenkert, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed. Hamas noted that the six hostages are the last of those to be returned under the first phase who are alive. Meanwhile, Israel confirmed receiving the list and the families of the six were already notified by Israeli officials on Tuesday. In return, Israel is expected to release 602 Palestinian security prisoners from jails on Saturday as part of the ongoing hostage release-ceasefire deal with Hamas.
With inputs from agencies.
