Yarden Bibas

Yarden Bibas is a gentle soul with a big heart, known for his humor, kindness, and love for music. Raised in Kibbutz Tze’elim, he holds Israeli and Argentine citizenship and shares a deep bond with his parents and sister. His warm nature and playful spirit make him a beloved figure in his community.
Yarden is a sensitive and loving father and husband, and his family means the world to him. Yarden and his wife, Shiri (32), established their home on Kibbutz Nir Oz, where they raised their two boys, 4-year-old Ariel (Luli), and 9-month-old Kfir (Fir-Fir).
On the morning of Saturday October 7, 2023, their world was shattered. As Hamas terrorists overran Kibbutz Nir Oz, murdering indiscriminately, the Bibas family became victims of the darkest day in Israel’s history. Yarden went out to protect his family from the terrorists, hoping they would fight him and leave Shiri and the kids alone. But the terrorists kidnapped him to Gaza on a motorcycle, injured. Later that morning, Shiri was taken hostage along with their two young sons by another group of terrorists. Shiri's parents, Margit and Yossi Silberman, were murdered by Hamas terrorists in their home on the kibbutz.
Of all the unspeakably brutal moments of 7 October, the horrific scene of the terrified Israeli mother, clutching her two redheaded sons to her chest as Hamas terrorists kidnapped them, is undoubtedly the most indelibly etched in the world's memory.
For a year and four months, their loved ones desperately pleaded for their safe return, with hardly any information on their whereabouts. Ofri Bibas, Yarden’s sister, became their voice, calling upon Israel, Qatar, Egypt, and all mediators to do everything possible to secure their release. But their fate remained unknown. “We don’t know where they are being held or by which organization. From what we know, they are kept underground somewhere in Gaza,” Ofri said.
The world held its breath, hoping. But then came the nightmare.
A few weeks after their abduction, we learned much later, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were handed over to the extremist Salafi group Al-Mujahideen. In November 2023, their captors murdered the mother and her young children. The terror group concealed their remains for over a year and three months, hiding them in the area of Khan Younis, Gaza.
Yarden had been held hostage for 484 days and was freed as part of the second hostage release agreement on February 1st, 2025. He waited with unbearable anticipation for his wife and children.
On February 20, 2025, Ariel and Kfir were finally returned to Israel— not to the arms of their loving father, not to the warmth of their home, but in tiny coffins. Hamas blatantly violated the agreement, refusing to return Shiri. Instead, they deliberately handed over the body of an unrelated Gazan woman, falsely claiming it was her. In response to the demands of Israel and the mediating countries, Shiri was returned to Israel, 503 days after her abduction.
At last, the Bibas family could gather, hearts shattered, to accompany their loved ones on their final journey. On that fateful day, an entire nation stood silent, broken, and grieving. Millions across the world wept together for the mother who fought to protect her children, and the sweetest redheaded boys whose laughter was stolen far too soon.
But their light will never fade.
Their names will be spoken.
Their story will be told.
Shiri, Luli and Fir-Fir will never, ever be forgotten.

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