Israel Gives Hamas Deadline to Return Hostages Transcript

Israel has given Hamas a deadline to return hostages held in Gaza or face a ground offensive in the city of Rafah, where an estimated 1,500,000 civilians are sheltering. That deadline is by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins in early March. CBS’s Holly Williams reports anger is growing across Israel over a newly released video showing the youngest hostage being held by Hamas.

Tonight, Israel’s military released this security camera video, which they say they recently found in southern Gaza, apparently showing the Bibas family the same day they were kidnapped October 7th being moved by the militants. Baby Kfir was nine months old at the time, the youngest hostage, taken with his four-year-old brother Ariel and their parents, Shiri and Yarden.

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In November, as Hamas released over 100 hostages during a seven-day ceasefire, the group claimed Shiri and her two children had been killed in an airstrike. But the militants haven’t shown any proof or handed over any bodies. Despite mounting international criticism, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, seems determined to launch an offensive in Rafah. Tonight, he vowed to punish the militants who took the Bibas family.

We will bring these kidnappers of babies and mothers to justice.

I say give them what they want. Just bring me back my family.

Yifat Zeilar is a cousin of Shiri Bibas and her two boys. We spoke to her before the new video was made public. So you’re in a kind of limbo.

For me, my family is still there, still very much alive until we receive the confirmation.

There are thought to be around 130 remaining hostages. Tonight, Hamas said they’ll only free them in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. And Major Hamas said another precondition for releasing the hostages is Israel, quote, stopping the aggression.

Holly Williams. Thank you.