As hostages reunite with families, Yarden Bibas returns without wife and children

‘I thank all of the people of Israel for the support and help. I heard from my family that you fought for me and I want to say thank you, I really appreciate it, it’s not taken for granted,’ Yarden’s message read.

By JNS

The three men who were released from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip on Saturday reunited with their families in Israel in heart-wrenching scenes, captured on camera.

Yarden Bibas, 35, who was taken hostage with his family into the Gaza Strip during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, returned to Israel alone. Hamas claimed in November 2023, that his wife, Shiri, 33, and their two children— Ariel, 5 and Kfir, 2—had been killed.

Bibas was greeted by his father, Eli, and sister Ofri, at the IDF’s Re’im camp just outside the Strip, before flying by helicopter to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, where his mother, Pnina, was waiting for him.

His family issued a statement, saying, “Yarden is home. A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months. There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our arms, embracing him and hearing his voice.

“Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete. Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality. At this time, we ask: Protect Yarden, protect his soul. Please respect his privacy and give him the space he needs so that his body and soul can begin to recover.”

A photo of Bibas on the helicopter holding a board with his handwriting was released to the public.

“I thank all of the people of Israel for the support and help. I heard from my family that you fought for me and I want to say thank you, I really appreciate it, it’s not taken for granted,” it read.

Bibas ended the message with a happy birthday wish to his grandfather, who turned 90 today.