Yarden Bibas has become the first of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza to mark a second birthday in captivity. The gravity of this statement takes a moment to sink in. Yarden, the father of the widely known Ariel and Kfir Bibas, the young ginger children who were also kidnapped to Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, is turning 35 while being held against his will for the second year running.
"It's unfathomable that a year has gone by and they're still being held captive," Ofri, Yareden's sister said. "I keep wondering when I'll reach my breaking point. When it will become unbearable. My son Afik is four months old. Kfir, Yarden's son, was taken when he was just nine months old. I can't help but dread the possibility that they might still be hostages by the time Afik reaches Kfir's age."
On Oct. 7, 2023, Yarden was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. His wife Shiri and their children Ariel, then 4, and Kfir, a nine-month-old infant at the time were forcibly abducted in a separate incident. Hamas released video footage that captured the terror in Shiri's eyes during their abduction, an image that has haunted Israel and communities abroad alike.
"Yarden's last birthday marked the first time we received proof he was alive," Ofri recalled. "After seeing the images of Shiri in Gaza released shortly after the kidnapping, I was convinced Yarden had been killed. But when we were told he wasn't in the house and there were no signs of bloodshed, he was classified as missing. Three days later, on the morning of his birthday, someone contacted us saying they believed they had identified him in and sent us the image. It was indeed him. Since then, we've been in a constant state of anguish."
When asked what she would wish for her brother, she said: "Dodgy," using his family nickname, "I wish for you to return to life, to come back to us alive. To smile again, to laugh, to feel the warmth of sunlight, and breathe fresh air. I wish you freedom. And above all – I wish for you to kiss Shiri again and embrace Ariel and Kfir."
