A look at the mural “October 7, The Hostages” before (left) and after (right) it was vandalized. Photo: Provided

A mural depicting members of the Bibas family who were murdered in Hamas captivity was vandalized on Thursday in the Italian city of Milan during a commemoration event at the local synagogue for victims of the Palestinian terrorist group’s attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, The Algemeiner has learned.

Vandals defaced the image of Shiri Bibas, 32, in the artwork done by Italian contemporary pop artist and activist AleXsandro Palombo that was displayed in front of the Consulate of Qatar in Milan. Bibas’s face was covered with a poster that read “NO WAR” and showed a target placed on the forehand of what appeared to be a young boy.

The mural — titled “October 7, The Hostages” — was unveiled earlier this month on Oct. 7, to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the barbaric Hamas-led terrorist attack in southern Israel. Palestinian terrorists from Gaza murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages during their surprise cross-border invasion and rampage through Israeli communities.

The artwork depicts Shiri Bibas holding her two children Kfir and Ariel, who were 4 and nine months old, respectively, when taken hostage. The children are draped in an Israeli flag and all three of them are featured in front of a black background, which is a stark contrast to Kfir and Ariel’s bright orange hair. Shiri and her two sons were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz and killed during captivity in the Gaza Strip.

“The kidnapping of a mother and her two young children, the waiting, the appeals, and the tragic outcome generated a strong collective identification, turning their story into a symbol of civilian vulnerability,” said a spokesperson for the artist in a released statement. “The artwork serves as a testimony: it documents a historical event, denounces violence, and calls for public reflection.”

Several works by Palombo tied to Israel, antisemitism, or other Jewish-related topics have been vandalized in the past, including a mural dedicated to Nova Festival survivor Vlada Patapov, which was damaged mere hours after its unveiling on Oct. 7, 2024, and a mural depicting three Holocaust survivors. Those works are now on display in Rome’s ancient Jewish ghetto in front of the Shoah Museum, which has acquired them for its permanent collection.

A mural about antisemitism and the Holocaust was repeatedly defaced in Milan and then completed painted over before being acquired by the Shoah Museum.