Hamas officials announced on Tuesday that the group intends to hand over the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Thursday. Among them are Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the youngest captives held by the group.
Khalil Al-Hayya, who leads the group’s negotiating team, also said six living hostages would be released on Saturday. Earlier, officials had expected only three.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the deal after discussions in Cairo. It stated that four deceased hostages would be returned on Thursday, and six living hostages would follow on Saturday.
Officials also mentioned that four more bodies are likely to be returned next week.
Families informed and exchange plan confirmed
A spokesperson for the Israeli Hostage Families Forum said that families of the hostages, both the living and the deceased, have been informed about the upcoming release.
Israel is expected to release Palestinian prisoners in return, following the pattern of previous exchanges in recent weeks.
CNN reported that this announcement strongly suggests the Bibas children, who were taken in October 2023 at the ages of nine months and four years, are no longer alive.
Israeli officials have not yet confirmed their deaths or responded to Hamas’ statement.
Per CNN, Hamas will return the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two babies, Kfir and Ariel this Thursday February 20th.
Our hearts are broken for the family. pic.twitter.com/YzrYSYpgDy
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) February 18, 2025
An Egyptian source told CNN that officials from Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the United States worked together to reach an agreement. The source confirmed that Hamas will release the remaining hostages from the first phase of the truce on Saturday.
The emotional impact of the Bibas family’s story
In November 2023, Hamas claimed that Kfir and Ariel Bibas were killed along with their mother during an Israeli airstrike. The group also released a video of their father, Yarden, who is also being held hostage. In the video, Yarden blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their deaths.
4 things you didn’t know about Kfir Bibas:
1. His nickname is Fir Fir.
2. His favorite toy is a purple elephant.
3. He especially likes hugs and kisses.
4. Kfir has 6 cousins. They all miss him.Kfir marks his 500th day in Hamas captivity in Gaza today. pic.twitter.com/i44pzw3KqC
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) February 17, 2025
The Israeli military previously dismissed the video as “psychological terror.” On February 1, Hamas released Yarden Bibas alive.
Since the October 7 attacks, the Bibas family, particularly Kfir, has become a widely recognized symbol of the tragedy. His image has appeared on countless posters calling for the hostages’ release. These posters have been displayed across Israel and around the world for more than a year.
One photo, in particular, has drawn attention. It shows the red-haired baby holding a pink elephant toy, looking into the camera with a toothless smile.
Ces images insoutenables de l’enlèvement de Shiri avec ses deux enfants, Kfir et Ariel, me hanteront pour toujours.
La famille Bibas restera à jamais le symbole de la barbarie du Hamas. pic.twitter.com/g9H3dN7H03
— Jérémy Benhaïm (@JeremBenhaim) February 18, 2025
Talks for second phase of ceasefire underway
Hamas made the announcement on the same day Israel said it would start talks on the second phase of the Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that negotiations might begin “this week” after recent discussions with U.S. officials.
Saar said the goal is to reach an agreement by the 42nd day of the truce, as outlined in the original deal. He also mentioned that extending the truce for a longer-term agreement remains a possible option.