Birthday in absence for Gaza’s youngest hostage

Kfir Bibas, with his red hair and pink stuffed elephant, was less than nine months old when Hamas militants snatched him from his bed in an Israeli kibbutz on Oct. 7.

The youngest hostage to be kidnapped by the Palestinian Islamist group was born on Jan. 18 and — if still alive — would be celebrating his first birthday this week.

His family marked the occasion with a cake and candles at kibbutz Nir Oz.