Israel is demanding that Hamas clarify the condition of hostages Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip. The three are among those slated for release as part of the ongoing first phase of the ceasefire and hostage deal, which temporarily halted the war ignited by Hamas in October 2023. Under the terms of the agreement, women and children are to be freed first, while the remains of deceased hostages are to be transferred later. However, concerns for the Bibas family have grown as Hamas has not included them among the initial releases. Yarden Bibas, Shiri’s husband and the father of Ariel and Kfir, was abducted separately and is scheduled for release later in this phase of the deal. Hamas has said that 18 of the 26 remaining hostages in this phase are alive but has not provided details on specific individuals, including the Bibas family. Ariel, 5, and Kfir, who turned 2 earlier this month, are the only children still being held in Gaza. In a previous hostage exchange in November 2023, more than 100 of the 251 people abducted during Hamas’s October attack were released. At the time, Hamas claimed that the Bibas children and their mother had been killed, a claim Israel has investigated but has not confirmed. The IDF says that there is no intelligence confirming their status, and no signs of life have been seen since their abduction. The Bibas family became a prominent symbol of the attack after a widely shared video showed Shiri, visibly distressed, carrying her children as they were taken by Hamas terrorists. The children’s striking red hair and Kfir’s young age—just 10 months at the time—drew worldwide attention. In November 2023, after Hamas declared the family dead, the terror group released a video showing Yarden Bibas being informed of the alleged deaths. In February 2024, the IDF discovered additional surveillance footage from Khan Younis showing the abduction of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir. IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari recently expressed “grave concerns” about the lives of Shiri and her children. The Bibas family’s relatives have continued to hold onto hope, saying on Monday that they are awaiting their return. Their hopes were recently dashed when the three were omitted from a list of hostages set for release on Shabbos. Hamas has also breached the ceasefire and hostage deal by releasing four female soldiers—Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa, and Karina Ariev—rather than prioritizing civilian women and children as stipulated by the agreement. Following this breach, IDF spokesman Hagari reaffirmed that Israel is committed to securing the release of remaining civilian hostages, including Shiri Bibas and her two sons. Among those expected to be released on Thursday is civilian hostage Arbel Yehoud, for whom a video proof-of-life has been obtained, though her family has requested that it not be published. Two other hostages, Agam Berger and Gadi Mozes, are also set to return. However, there has been no update regarding the Bibas family’s fate. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)