Heartbreaking image of murdered hostage Maya Goren feeding Kfir Bibas before 7 October
Picture shared by the Goren family after news broke that Maya's body had been retrieved from Gaza along with four other Israelis
Richard Ferrer has been editor of Jewish News since 2009. As one of Britain's leading Jewish voices he writes for The Times, Independent, New Statesman and many other titles. Richard previously worked at the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, edited the Boston Jewish Advocate and created the Channel 4 TV series Jewish Mum Of The Year.
It’s a deeply haunting image that underscores the incalculable human cost of 7 October.
Baby Kfir Bibas gazes lovingly up at his nursery teacher Maya Goren as she tenderly feeds him at the kindergarten at Kibbutz Nir Oz, just weeks before they were both taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October.
Maya, 56, was preparing to open the kibbutz’s kindergarten on that fateful Saturday morning when Hamas attacked. She was taken into Gaza while her husband, Avner, also 56, who was born and raised in the kibbutz, was killed inside the family home. The couple are survived by their four children.
The Goren family shared this poignant picture after news broke that Maya’s body was retrieved from Gaza by the Israel Defence Forces, along with four other murdered Israelis on Wednesday.
In this touching photograph, Maya, with her long grey hair tied in a braid, lovingly feeds baby Kfir, who gazes up at her with wide, innocent eyes. Maya’s gentle smile and Kfir’s attentive expression capture the loving environment she created in her classroom.
Kfir was just nine months old when he was also taken hostage along with his four-year-old brother Ariel and parents Shiri and Yarden.
On 29 November, following the release of 105 civilians during the temporary ceasefire agreement, Hamas claimed that Kfir, Ariel and Shiri had been killed in an Israeli airstrike.
The next day, a chilling Hamas propaganda video was released showing Yarden receiving news of his family’s death. However, without confirmation, no one in Israel, especially the Bibas family, is prepared to believe the claims of terrorists. Hope remains they might yet return home.
Kfir turned one in captivity on 18 January, a day that was known in Israel as “the saddest birthday in the world”.
Shiri Bibas’ parents, Margaret and Yosi Silverman, who lived on the same kibbutz, were murdered and their bodies found near the Gaza border. The Bibas family’s beloved dog, Tony, was also shot dead.
Kfir and Ariel are the last two child hostages still being held.
The bodies of IDF staff sergeant Oren Goldin, IDF staff sergeant Tomer Ahimas, IDF sergeant Kiril Brodsky, and Ravid Arie Katz were discovered on Wednesday alongside Maya, bringing the number of hostages declared dead to 41.
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