Hamas has claimed its youngest hostage – a 10-month-old boy – has been killed alongside along with his four-year-old brother and their mom.
Shiri Bibas and Kfir and Ariel Bibas have been taken through the terror assault on Israel in October and have been the highest-profile civilian hostages but to be freed.
The group’s armed wing, al Qassam Brigades, mentioned on social media that Mrs Bibas, 32, and her sons died in an Israeli airstrike earlier than the present ceasefire.
Israel-Gaza War – latest updates
The boys’ father, Yarden Bibas, can also be being held.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) mentioned it was “inspecting the reliability of the data”.
“IDF representatives spoke with the members of the Bibas household, knowledgeable them of the publication [of the claims] and are with them at the moment,” a press release learn.
Kin made a particular attraction on Tuesday after the household was left off the penultimate record of individuals to be freed beneath the present truce deal.
Mrs Bibas’s cousin, Yifat, told Sky News it was agonising to have no information.
“I can not cease desirous about Kfir, what he’s consuming, is he bathing, is he hitting his milestones?” she mentioned.
She was nervous Hamas may need handed them to a different armed group in Gaza.
“We attain a {dead} finish each time we strive to determine why Hamas is having a lot bother getting them again, or whether or not meaning in the event that they’re alive or not,” she mentioned.
Video confirmed Shiri Bibas attempting to guard her youngsters as they have been taken
Yifat mentioned Hamas could possibly be enjoying “psychological video games” by not giving them any information.
“It is wonderful {that a} child turned some type of a card or, you recognize, a successful card or a trophy holding him hostage like this to get extra arms or, I do not know, gasoline for his or her missile launchers,” she mentioned.
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Shiri’s cousin Yifat speaks to Sky Information
Sky’s Center East correspondent Alistair Bunkall mentioned the household would now be desperately hoping the Hamas declare is fake.
“There have been events within the final week or so when hostages who had been declared {dead} by one of many armed teams in Gaza truly turned out to not have died – and have subsequently been launched,” mentioned Bunkall.
“I am positive that that’s one thing the household can be clinging on to tonight.”
Learn extra:
Have hostages gone missing in Gaza?
Thai hostage negotiator thanks Iran for support
Hamas has thus far freed 61 Israelis – almost all of them ladies and kids – as a part of a ceasefire deal that began on Friday
The extension to the truce is because of finish late on Wednesday and intense talks are occurring to increase it additional.
Egyptian safety sources have informed Reuters information company they anticipate it may be prolonged by one other two days.