A Ukrainian Jewish man, who recently underwent a circumcision, took the Jewish name Kfir Ariel in honor of the two Bibas brothers murdered in Hamas captivity, Chabad shared on Thursday.
Kfir Ariel announced his new name after undergoing a brit milah, a religious circumcision, in Netanya on Thursday - the same day that Hamas returned three hostage bodies to Israel.
The remains released on Thursday included those of Oded Lifshitz, and Ariel and Kfir Bibas. Hamas failed to release the remains of Shiri Bibas, instead sending to Israel an unknown body unrelated to any hostage.
The IDF confirmed on Friday morning that forensic testing showed the Bibas brothers were murdered by the terrorists one month into captivity.
❤️ This Man Was Just Named Kfir Ariel, After The Two Bibas Brothers.This man, a Jew from Ukraine, never had a Jewish name. Today, after his brit in Netanya, he took the name Kfir ArielHe's named for the two brothers Kfir and Ariel Bibas. Am Yisrael Chai - Mazel tov! pic.twitter.com/ZQX0XGfCFr
— Chabad.org (@Chabad) February 20, 2025
Who are the Bibas family?
Shiri, Ariel and Kfir, along with their father Yarden Bibas, were abducted by invading terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The family has garnered wide coverage as sons Kfir and Ariel were the youngest civilians abducted.
Kfir was nine months old and Ariel was four years old when they were abducted on October 7 2023.
Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigade claimed in November 2023, Shiri, Ariel and Kfir had been killed.
The IDF was able to confirm, after securing footage, that Shiri and her two sons were taken to Gaza alive. After being taken to Khan Yunis on October 7, they were detained by a terror group by the name of Kataib Mujahadin.
Yarden Bibas was released alive as part of the first phase of a hostage-ceasefire deal weeks ago.