Israeli hostage Bibas brothers aged just 2 & 5 and mother confirmed dead as bodies set for return to grieving family

THE youngest Israeli hostage taken by Hamas has been confirmed dead alongside his brother and mother.

Israel has confirmed the horrific news after Hamas claimed on Tuesday that all three were dead which left the Bibas family in turmoil.

A woman holding two young children, crying. — Mum Shiri Bibas was seen desperately clutching to Kfir and his brother Ariel as they were kidnapped on October 7Credit: Ian Whittaker

Family in Batman pajamas. — Yarden and Shiri Bibas with their two young boys before the family became hostagesCredit: Supplied

Smiling baby holding a pink stuffed animal. — Baby Kfir was the youngest hostage taken by Hamas

a man is opening a bottle of cote de haute-vallée wine — Oded Lifshiz has also been confirmed deadCredit: Lifshitz Family collection

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a statement that is received the list of four slain hostages which included Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas.

Their families have been notified, the Prime Minister's Office stated.

Netanyahu said: “In this difficult time, our hearts are with the grieving families.

“We will continue to provide reliable updates as needed and ask to refrain from spreading rumours or unofficial information."

In a statement, the Bibas family said: “Should we receive devastating news, it must come through the proper official channels after all identification procedures are completed.

“We ask to refrain from eulogizing our loved ones until there is confirmation following final identification.”

Kfir Bibas was only nine months old when he was kidnapped by terrorists on October 7 and forced to spend the majority of his life as a Hamas prisoner.

His then four-year-old brother Ariel and his mother Shiri Bibas, 33, were also snatched in the bloody rampage.

Across Israel, posters of the red-haired toddler clutching his pink elephant have become a painful symbol of the hostage crisis.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum confirmed on Wednesday that all three were dead.

Full statement from The Hostages and Missing Families Forum:

"We received the heart-shattering news that Shiri Bibas, her children Ariel and Kfir, and Oded Lifshitz are no longer with us.

"This news cuts like a knife through our hearts, the families’ hearts and the hearts of people all over the world.

"Oded was a journalist and peace activist who helped found Kibbutz Nir Oz.

"He dedicated his life to helping others and transporting sick Gazans to Israeli hospitals, and his grandchildren called him 'Super Grandpa' for his wisdom and love.

"Shiri was a dedicated mother and accountant, known for her boundless kindness, who nurtured and cared for all the kibbutz children.

"She touched everyone's heart with her capacity for giving and love for others.

"Ariel, just four-year-old when kidnapped, loved Batman and playing with tractors in the garden.

"Baby Kfir, not-even-one-year-old when taken, had gorgeous red hair and a smile that could melt any person.

"They weren't just names - they were beloved people, with families who cherished them, with dreams and futures stolen from them.

"We grieve not only for them, but for the other precious lives lost, including four more deceased hostages who will be returned next week.

"We will not rest. We will not stop fighting for every hostage who isn't part of the current deal - for those still alive, clinging to survival, desperate to return to their loved ones and begin healing.

"And for those we know are deceased - their families deserve the dignity of closure, the basic right to give their loved ones a proper burial.

"This cannot continue. Not one more day. The second stage of the deal must happen NOW. There is no more time to waste.

"Not when every passing moment could mean another life lost, another family shattered. Bring them all home - NOW."

Also confirmed dead is Oded Lifshitz, a retired journalist who was taken from his home in the same region.

It is not known when or how the four hostages died, though Hamas has claimed that they were killed in an Israeli airstrike in November.

The Bibas family had taken shelter inside their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas stormed the area.

Their father Yarden, 35, was also taken after Hamas brutes smashed him over the head with a hammer and he was separated from his family.

He was released by Hamas on February 1 as the rest of the Bibas family said they were "desperately clinging to hope" for the release of his wife and sons.

Yarden's sister Ofri, who has been by her brother's side ever since his freedom previously told Channel 12 news that Hamas lied to him about his family's fate.

His captors told him that his family were safe in Tel Aviv until Novmeber 2023 when Hamas publicly announced that they had been killed in an airstrike.

The bodies of the four hostages are set to return to Israel on Thursday, local media reports.

Netanyahu said in a video statement: “Tomorrow will be a very difficult day for the State of Israel — a shocking day, a day of grief.