On Monday evening, the Bibas family gave a statement to the press from Sheba Medical Center, two days after Yarden Bibas was released from Hamas captivity, while his wife Shiri and their children Ariel and Kfir remain in Gaza, with serious concerns for their safety.
Yarden Bibas reunites with family while wife and children still in Gaza
(Video: GPO)
At the beginning of the statement, Yarden’s sister, Ofri Bibas Levy, said: "We endured 484 days of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty, and now Yarden is home. Yarden is here and we’ve rediscovered what we already knew — how strong and amazing he is.
"We’ve learned how he survived hell with his sensitivity and humor, which are so characteristic of him. We look at him, hug him, and still can’t believe he’s here. He’s adjusting and learning about everything that happened. There’s a lot of information to process, some of it difficult to handle."
According to Ofri, "Yarden says he was moved between many locations during his captivity, held in harsh conditions, with food often scarce and poor hygiene. He was exposed to little sunlight for long periods. Yarden also discovered that he and his family are no longer anonymous. He has realized how loved he and his family are. It moves him, but it’s not easy to cope with."
Ofri also referred to Shiri, Kfir and Ariel. She said, "Yarden’s journey to recovery has only just begun, and it’s clear it won’t be complete until his family — Shiri, Ariel and Kfir — are home. My brother is back, but my sister-in-law and my nephews are not.
"Yarden asks about them, and I have no answers for him. I demand that the prime minister and the negotiation team provide us and him with answers. Our journey will not be complete until we have certainty about Shiri and the children’s fate and until all 79 captives are home."
Ofri also sent a message to Shiri and the children, who are still in captivity: "We miss you so much and are waiting for you, now together with Yarden. I appeal to the prime minister and the ministers: you made the right decision in favor of the agreement.
"The price is heavy, but there is no price for life, freedom, and security. Today, negotiations for the next phase are supposed to begin. The challenges are great, but the commitment is clear—to bring everyone back, the living for recovery and the fallen for burial."
Later, Dana Silverman Seaton, Shiri’s sister, who rarely speaks out in public, also gave a statement. "Two days ago, I finally managed to breathe a little after 15 months of hell in which I lost my parents, my friends, and my younger and only sister, Shiri, who was kidnapped along with my nephews Ariel and Kfir and her husband Yarden to Gaza," she said.
"I am so happy I got to hug Yarden, hear his voice, and look into his eyes again," she added. "Yarden has only one question: Where are Shiri and the children? Three-quarters of our hearts are still held in captivity and until they return, we will remain incomplete. We will no longer accept uncertainty—we demand answers. We demand them back. It is the state’s duty to us after everything we’ve been through."
According to Dana, "Shiri and her children were in their kibbutz, still wearing their pajamas, as the entire country and the world saw, and the state failed to protect them. It is the responsibility of the government and the state toward Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir, toward Yarden, toward me, toward our entire family, and toward every citizen who looks and asks whether the State of Israel knows how to protect its citizens.
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"I appeal to the Prime Minister and the members of the government: complete the deal in all its stages until the last captive is home. Do not let extreme voices derail the agreement," she concluded. "This is what distinguishes us from our enemies. Bring everyone back—the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for proper burial."
Earlier, relatives of Keith Siegel, who was released from captivity alongside Yarden and Ofer Kalderon on Saturday, also gave a statement. Keith’s daughter, Shir, said: "484 days of hell have passed for my father. A year and four months in the darkest, scariest place on earth.
"He says he was held in inhumane conditions by cruel terrorists who abused him mentally, physically, and emotionally. He barely saw daylight, was starved for long periods, and lost significant weight. He says he was held in harsh isolation conditions and sometimes lost hope of ever returning home."
After Shir spoke, Aviva, Keith’s wife, who was released in the previous deal in November 2023, also spoke. She thanked the Prime Minister and the negotiation team for their "brave decisions," as she put it, and added that Keith’s return highlights the urgency of bringing back all the captives.
"There are still 79 captives in Gaza. Everyone deserves to come home. All their families deserve to feel what we are feeling now." Aviva thanked President Donald Trump for "saving his life" and also thanked former U.S. president Joe Biden for "supporting the family throughout the process."
After Yarden returned from captivity, the Bibas family said: "Yarden is home. A quarter of our hearts has returned to us after 15 long months. Words cannot describe the relief of holding Yarden in our arms, hugging him, and hearing his voice. Yarden is home, but the home is incomplete."
"Yarden is a father who left the shelter to protect his family, survived captivity heroically and returned to an unbearable reality. We continue to hope and call for the return of Shiri, the children, and all the captives. Please continue to amplify their voices and the urgency of their return. Help us echo this louder than ever. For Yarden and for everyone. We won’t stop until everyone is home."