French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday posted on X in support of the Bibas family, after Hamas claimed that Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas will be returned on Thursday as part of the release of bodies of hostages.
“Shiri, Kfir, Ariel. Faces of innocence and love. Faces of an eternal humanity that the barbarity of Hamas will never destroy,” Macron wrote.
“France mobilized for the release of all hostages and stands alongside Yarden and the Bibas family. In universal brotherhood,” added the French President.
The Bibas family responded earlier on Tuesday to the Hamas announcement and said, "In recent hours, we are suffering emotional turmoil following the announcement by the Hamas spokesperson about the return of our Shiri, Ariel and Kfir on Thursday, together with the dead bodies. It is important for us to say that we have heard the reports, but we have not yet received any official update on the matter."
The family also emphasized: "Until we are certain, our journey will not end."
The family asked the public and the media to respect their privacy and not to contact them about the recent publications.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit called on Israelis not to share "unverified rumors" about the fates of hostages who are still held in Gaza.
"Over the past hours, unverified rumors regarding the hostages and their families are being spread," the IDF stated.
"The IDF urges the public to rely only on announcements from official sources and to refrain from spreading rumors that harm the families of the hostages and the public," the statement added.