With the announcement of a cease fire agreement in Gaza, people are anxious to see hostages come home after 15 months. My mind automatically goes to the two small children with beautiful red hair who have been held since this began on October 7, 2023. Their names are Ariel and Kfir Bibas. It is uncertain which hostages are alive and which are dead. Israel also must give up Palestinian prisoners, many of who are murderers.
I'm pretty despondent about this hostage deal but admit that may change if two little redhead children walk out of Gaza.
— Karol Markowicz (@karol) January 15, 2025
I am also the Mom of 2 redheads. I have 1boy and 1 girl. The parents of redheads sort of have an automatic bond when we see each other in public. We wink or wave and always make sure to speak to each other. Only we know what taking more than one redheaded child out in public is like. People will always ask many questions, particularly if neither parent has red hair. They will ask where their hair came from, stare, and even sometimes try to touch their hair. It's always an ordeal. We understand each other. The minute I saw a picture of these two beautiful babies, they have been on my heart.
I think a lot hinges on whether two red-headed toddlers walk out of Gaza alive. https://t.co/t8TFOWHdJB
— Emily Zanotti 🦝 (@emzanotti) January 15, 2025
Unless those babies come home safely, it will be hard to feel like this is any sort of a victory. The things about redheads is they can never blend in. I could always easily find my children on a playground or at Disney World because it's easy to scan the heads of children playing and easily find the two who belong to that rare 2% of the population. I jokingly told my kids they can never get in trouble because it's impossible to fly under the radar. As a result, these babies have become the face of the Israel hostages. Hamas knows that and has tortured their families by holding them this entire war.
I think if the two babies are dead that’s a whole different ball game. One which Hamas is going to deeply regret. We will have to see.
— RMB (@rms432) January 15, 2025
There must be hell to pay.
My general feeling is that all [or virtually all] of the hostages are dead or otherwise unreachable, and Hamas's strategy is to conceal that fact for as long as possible by stringing the Israelis along. It's a matter of how long the Israelis are willing to play along.
— Charles Repine (@DistrictDawg) January 15, 2025
This is also my fear.
These are the 98 people being held by Palestinians in Gaza.
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 15, 2025
Only around 30 of them are presumed alive.
The deal is for the return of 33 of them.
65 of them will remain in Gaza captivity.
7 are Americans. 3 Americans are presumed alive. No deal has been made for any Americans. pic.twitter.com/pBwmbnd25A
I’ve now seen multiple sources reporting this from Israel— the Bibas boys are part of the first group that will be released.
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 14, 2025
However— and this is a BIG HOWEVER— there is no proof of life for them and the hostage deal does not require for them to be alive.
No choice now but to… pic.twitter.com/FNb9ywF60r
This Mom of two redheads is holding onto every shred of hope.
