The Cold-blooded Murder of Bibas Family

On October 7, 2023, during a coordinated attack by Hamas militants on Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, the Bibas family from Kibbutz Nir Oz was tragically affected. The family—father Yarden, mother Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel (4 years old) and Kfir (9 months old)—were taken hostage and transported to Gaza. This event was part of a larger assault that resulted in significant loss of life and numerous abductions.

In the immediate aftermath, distressing images and videos surfaced, showing Shiri clutching her two children, surrounded by armed militants. These visuals became emblematic of the hostage crisis, drawing widespread attention and concern. Yarden was separated from his family during the abduction. In November 2023, Hamas claimed that Shiri and the children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, but Israeli authorities were unable to verify this assertion at the time.

After enduring over a year in captivity, Yarden was released on February 1, 2025, as part of a ceasefire agreement. Tragically, on February 20, 2025, Hamas returned the bodies of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir to Israel. Israeli forensic examinations revealed that the children had been murdered by their captors, contradicting earlier claims that they had died due to airstrikes. The return of their bodies and the circumstances of their deaths have intensified the grief and outrage within Israel, highlighting the profound human impact of the ongoing conflict.