12:36 p.m. ET, November 29, 2023
Israel assessing Hamas declare that the youngest hostage and members of the family are now not alive
From The Gentleman Report’s Eyad Kourdi, Jeremy Diamond and Tamar Michaelis
The Bibas circle of relatives is pictured on this undated circle of relatives handout photograph. Kfir, ten months, Ariel, 4, and their oldsters Shiri Bibas, and probably their father Yarden, have been all abducted from Nir Ounces, an Israeli kibbutz that used to be devastated when it got here beneath assault by means of Hamas militants on October 7.
Courtesy Maurice Shnaider
The Israel Protection Forces mentioned Wednesday it used to be assessing a Hamas declare that the youngest Israeli hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, his brother and his mom are now not alive.
The armed wing of Hamas mentioned previous on Wednesday, with out offering proof, that Kfir, his four-year-old brother Ariel, and their mom Shiri, have been killed in an Israeli airstrike. The armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, mentioned they’d been killed in previous Israeli bombing.
The IDF replied with a remark announcing they have been “assessing the accuracy of the tips.”
The army mentioned they’d spoken to relations of the Bibas circle of relatives, and “are with them at this hard time.”
“Hamas is wholly accountable for the protection of all hostages within the Gaza Strip. Hamas will have to be held responsible. Hamas’ movements proceed to hazard the hostages, which come with 9 youngsters. Hamas will have to right away unencumber our hostages,” the IDF mentioned.
The Bibas circle of relatives launched a remark, announcing:
“Our circle of relatives has realized of Hamas’ newest claims. We’re looking forward to the tips to be showed and confidently refuted by means of army officers. We thank the folks of Israel for his or her heat give a boost to, however kindly request privateness all through this hard time.”
A cousin of Shiri Bibas, Jimmy Miller, mentioned in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12 that “Hamas want to go back them again to us alive,” including, “We don’t care in the event that they transferred them to any person else, or to some other entity, they’re the unique accountable to convey them again to us alive and neatly.”
Mins after the Hamas declare emerged, a senior Israeli professional who used to be conserving a briefing on the time mentioned “I’m hoping it’s now not true,” and “We don’t have any indication they’re murdered.”
IDF leader spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari mentioned previous within the week that the IDF didn’t consider the men and their mom have been within the palms of Hamas.
There was no Israeli bombing of Gaza since a ceasefire started on Friday morning.
Kfir, Ariel and Shiri Bibas, and probably their father Yarden, have been all abducted from Nir Ounces, an Israeli kibbutz that used to be devastated when it got here beneath assault by means of Hamas militants on October 7.
