THE anxious family of the only child hostages in Gaza still have no idea if they are alive or dead.
Ariel Bibas, five, and his brother Kfir, two, and their parents are on the list of hostages to be released in the first six-week phase of the ceasefire.
Mum Shiri Bibas was seen desperately clutching to Kfir and his brother Ariel as they were kidnapped on October 7
Baby Kfir is the youngest hostage taken by Hamas as he just turned two years old
AFPIsraelis called for the release of Ariel Bibas and Kfir[/caption]
GettyThe family has been held captive by Hamas since October 7[/caption]
Kfir’s dad Yarden Bibas (left) gave himself over to Hamas in the hopes of saving his family but was brutally killed by the terrorists
But relatives have received no information since the ceasefire began on Sunday – the day after Kfir’s second birthday.
Ahead of the deal, his cousin Eylon Keshet, 31, said: “It would be the best present we could have for the deal to be agreed and they return home.”
They were delighted it went ahead and three hostages including Brit Emily Damari, 28, were released.
But Eylon today spoke of the family’s mixed emotions with no fresh news about the boys and their parents Yarden, 35, and Shiri, 33.
IT worker Eylon told The Sun: “We haven’t heard anything.
“It is such mixed emotions for us because we are extremely happy for the families of the other families. They have suffered so much as well.”
The boys’ aunt Ofri Bibas Levy, 38, added: “The only thing we know is what was published – that the four of them are supposed to be released in the first stage of the deal in the next 42 days.
“We don’t know how or when – it’s just another seven weeks of nightmare
“The wait is unbearable.”
Another 30 women, children and men aged over 50 and are due to be released in the coming weeks.
They include the Bibas family but relatives have not had proof of life for months for accountant Yarden – and even longer for Siri and the boys.
Eylon, of Tel Aviv, said: “We miss them so much. And I am terrified, even of the best case scenario, because if they all come home alive they will come back as very broken people as we know of the hideous conditions that they’re kept in.”
Bookkeeper Shiri and her sons – with their distinctive flame-red hair – were taken from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7 massacre.
A shocking video later emerged of Shiri looking utterly terrified as she clung on to Kfir, then just nine months, while Hamas gunmen led them away.
Husband Yarden, 35, an accountant, was taken separately after being smashed over the head with a hammer.
Ofri’s last ever communication with her brother was a heart-stopping text she got from him at 9:43am that day which read: “They’re coming in.”
The horrific video of Shiri and the boys then appeared and Hamas later claimed the trio had been killed in an Israeli air strike.
But that has never been confirmed meaning the family’s joy at the ceasefire and hostage release deal is tinged with anguish and leaving them still fearing the worst.
Ofri previously told The Sun: “We live every day with a constant feeling of fear – and uncertainty.
“It’s the not knowing which is the worst – are they alive? Are they dead? Are they being tortured?
“Did they get to eat today, something to drink? When was the last time they even saw sunlight?
“It has been a nightmare.
“I could never imagine something like that would happen to me and my family.
“Ariel is a fully energetic boy who loves tractors and vehicles and superheroes and playing with any kind of water.
“His red head gets a lot of attention everywhere he goes. But he’s also very shy.
“Kfir was a sweet baby, very cuddly and he loved to be tickled. He was very cute.
“Yarden and Shiri are the most amazing parents. They both really cared for the children all the time. We miss them so much.”
ReutersEmily pictured surrounded by Hamas terrorists as she gets out of the van during her release[/caption]
PAEmily hugged her mum Mandy after 15 months[/caption]
AFPDoron Steinbracher was reunited with her mum Simone[/caption]
What happened on October 7?
ON OCTOBER 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, marking one of the darkest days in the nation’s history.
Terrorists stormed across the border from Gaza, killing over 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and kidnapping 250 others, including women, children, and the elderly.
The coordinated assault saw heavily armed fighters infiltrate Israeli towns, kibbutzim, and military bases, unleashing indiscriminate violence.
Innocent families were slaughtered in their homes, and graphic footage of the atrocities spread across social media, leaving the world in shock.
And as well as attacking people in their homes, they stormed the Nova music peace festival – killing at least 364 people there alone.
The massacre triggered a swift and massive retaliatory response from Israel, escalating into a full-scale war.
The attack not only reignited long-standing tensions in the region but also left deep scars on both sides of the conflict, setting the stage for the 15 months of devastation that followed.
