Israel marks birthday of child held hostage

Smoke from Israeli attacks n Khan Yunis. Pic/AFP

Hundreds of Israelis sent orange balloons into the air on Monday to mark the fifth birthday of one of two children held captive by militants in the Gaza Strip. Ariel Bibas, along with his one-year-old brother Kfir, has become a symbol of the struggle to release the hostages. The orange balloons are meant to symbolise Ariel and Kfir's bright red hair.

Among the 110 (out of 250) still held hostage, the Bibas boys are said to be the only children. Israeli authorities say more than a third of the remaining hostages are no longer alive though Israel does not consider the Bibas boys to be part of that tally.

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Ariel Bibas' relatives said they were stunned to be marking the birthday while Ariel was still in captivity, 304 days after he was kidnapped. "It's unbelievable. It's something we never imagined, that Ariel will turn five as a hostage," said Tomer Keshet, a relative.

Ariel, Kfir and parents Shiri and Yarden Bibas were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Video of the kidnapping, with Shiri seen swaddling her two redheaded boys in a blanket and being whisked away by armed men, ricocheted around the world in the hours after the attack.

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