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Freed Israeli Hostage Demands Answers About Missing Wife and Sons After 15 Months in Captivity

Yarden Bibas, 35, was released by Hamas on Saturday

Yarden Bibas, who was released after being held hostage for over 15 months by Hamas, is urgently seeking information about the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were also abducted during the October 7, 2023 attack.

  • Yarden Bibas was freed as part of a ceasefire agreement that involved the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. His release occurred on February 3, 2025, alongside two other captives.
  • Shiri Bibas and their children were reportedly taken during the same attack that captured Yarden. Hamas claimed in November 2023 that they had died in an Israeli airstrike, a statement that remains unverified by Israeli authorities.

His family made emotional pleas to the Israeli government for answers regarding their whereabouts and well-being.

At a press conference held at Sheba hospital, Dana Silberman-Sitton, Shiri’s sister, expressed frustration with the government’s lack of action and clarity regarding the missing family members.

She stated, “We will no longer accept uncertainty. We demand answers. We demand them back.”

“The state failed to protect them. The state has been failing for almost 16 months to bring them home.”

“It’s the responsibility of the government and the state to Shiri, Ariel and Kfir, to Yarden, to me and our entire family, and to all the citizens of Israel,” she added, her voice breaking.

They have been vocal about their disappointment with the state’s efforts over the past 16 months.

 

Released Israeli hostage, Yarden Bibas, holds a whiteboard with the message “I thank all the people of Israel for the support and help, as he travels to a hospital in a helicopter, in this handout photo obtained by Reuters on February 1, 2025. — Reuters

As of now, 76 hostages remain in Gaza from a group of approximately 251 taken during the October assault. The Israeli military has confirmed that at least 34 hostages have died.

The ongoing negotiations and search for information about Shiri and her children continue as Yarden seeks to understand their fate while grappling with his own traumatic experience as a hostage.

The situation remains tense as families await updates from the Israeli government amidst ongoing conflict and humanitarian concerns in the region.

 

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