Israeli family marks first birthday for baby taken hostage by Hamas

An Israeli family will hold a public event on Thursday marking the first birthday of Kfir Bibas, the youngest hostage taken from Israel on October 7.

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum said that the Bibas family “will make an impassioned plea for Kfir’s release, as well as the release of his parents Yarden and Shiri and his young brother Ariel.” The event will be held at what has come to be known as Hostages Plaza, in Tel Aviv, at 3:30 p.m. local (8:30 a.m. ET).

It is, however, unclear whether Kfir Bibas is still alive. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in November that it was assessing a claim by Hamas’ military arm, the Qassam Brigades, that the infant was killed in an Israeli airstrike. The Qassam Brigades did not provide evidence for its claim.

When asked on Thursday whether the IDF had come to any conclusion in that investigation, it said it had no comment.

 Kfir was taken, alongside his brother and parents from kibbutz Nir Oz in October.