Hamas has reportedly confirmed that the bodies of the two Bibas children, Ariel and Kfir, will be among those returned to Israel this Thursday.
Reports suggest the remains of at least four desceased hostages will be returned to Israel, and that the terror group has identified the Bibas children as part of this group.
The two boys were the youngest Israelis abducted by Hamas during the October 7 terror attacks, with Kfir just nine months old and Ariel aged four at the time.
They were taken along with their parents, Yarden and Shiri, from their home in Nir Oz.
Shiri’s fate remains unknown , while Yarden has been freed and returned to Israel.
In a statement the family said”We have been informed that Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel, who were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th, are now listed among the deceased. But until we see them, our journey is not over.”
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya has also said the terror organisation will release six living Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Three hostages had been expected to be freed on Saturday.
It was not immediately clear why Hamas changed the plan.
The families of Gaza hostages Omer Wenkert, Eliya Cohen, Avraham (Avera) Mengisto, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Hisham Al-Sayed have been informed that the six will be released alive on Saturday.
Al Hayya, the group’s leader in Gaza, said that it would free Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed as part of the group on Saturday.
Mengistu and al-Sayed, both of whom suffer from mental health conditions according to their families, have been held captive since straying across the Gaza border in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
