Hamas has refused to free the youngest hostage in its possession, Israel has claimed. Israel Defense Forces representatives have said the militant group is yet to free Kfir Bibas, a 10-month-old who was kidnapped alongside his mother, Shiri, and brother Ariel, aged four, on October 7.

A photo of distraught Shiri clutching her two children as they were marched from their home remains one of the most upsetting taken since the Israel-Hamas conflict began.

As hostage negotiations continue under the extended ceasefire, Colonel Avihai Adrei said Hamas had moved the “babies with the red hair” into the clutches of another associated group.

In a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, the colonel claimed the children were “being held by one of the factions” in Khan Younis, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli officials said the Bibas family was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community in southern Israel picked apart by Hamas on October 7.

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Good morning from London. I’m Liam Doyle, I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on the Israel-Hamas war. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.

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