Kfir Bibas turns one as Hamas hostage: ‘Entire universe must help free him’

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has called on the “entire universe” to free Kfir Bibas and the other 135 hostages from Gaza as Kfir marks his first birthday as a hostage in Gaza. 

Herzog, who spoke at the Davos World Economic Forum, held a picture of Kfir, saying: “This is Kfir Bibas. Kfir today, is celebrating one year to his birth. Exactly a year ago he was born to his parents, Shiri his mother and his father Yarden, and his brother Ariel.

“His whereabouts are unknown. We know he was kidnapped by Hamas. We know that these barbaric terrorist have taken him and his mother and his brother, and his father held in a different place. We know that they are going through hell, and we don’t know their whereabouts.

“The enemy is basically advocating jihadism, celebrating and glorifying terror, celebrating and glorifying the abduction of Kfir Bibas. And from here, this incredible world stage, I call upon the entire universe to work endlessly to free Kfir, and all the hostages that are there about 136 by now,” he concluded.

Herzog also used the opportunity to address pressure from the international community for a two-state solution. Israel wants Gaza to be well managed and with Hamas “out of the question. We have to go and negotiate with those who could be a potential partner.”

But the time for peace process negations is not now: “Nobody is in his right mind is willing now to think about what will be the right solution of the peace agreements. Everyone wants to know that he will not be attacked in the same way from north or south or east. Israel lost trust in the peace processes because they see that terror is glorified by our neighbours.”

The president also said Israel must “work as hard as possible to find new ways and means to have a dialogue with our neighbours the Palestinians and offer a future. When nations come forward and say ‘two-state solution,’ we have to first deal with… are we (Israelis) offered real safety? What will be the outcome of any process, and can we guarantee safety for ourselves and our people?”