Hamas and “the Bibas mystery”: Kidnapped with his family, but returned alone

Hamas kidnapped him along with his wife and two children, but when they returned him, he was alone, without them, raising speculation about the possible death of his family.

Yarden Bibas is one of three hostages handed over to Israel today, Saturday, by the Palestinian movement as part of a fourth exchange conducted under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

After being held in the enclave for 484 days, Bibas (35 years old) returns without his family, who were also abducted on October 7, 2023.

His family consisted of his wife, Shiri, and their two children, Ariel, who was 4 years old at the time, and Kfir, who was only 9 months old.

In a post on X on Friday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed Hamas: “Where are the Bibas children?” adding: “483 days have passed. Where are they?”

Similarly, the Bibas family expressed their concern in an Instagram post on the same day: “Our son Yarden is supposed to return tomorrow, and we are very excited, but Shiri and the children have not yet returned home.”

The fate of the Bibas family has put significant pressure on the Israeli government and has become a symbol for Israeli protesters demanding a ceasefire to secure the release of the hostages.

However, in November 2023, Hamas announced that the mother and two children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, an allegation the Israeli army has not confirmed.

At that time, Hamas released footage of the detained father in a separate location, pleading for the return of his family’s bodies to Israel.

Saturday’s prisoner exchange is the second this week, following a previous operation on Thursday, which took place in chaotic conditions, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay the release of Palestinian detainees.

Netanyahu set a condition of receiving a “guarantee” from mediating countries to ensure a “safe release” of the remaining hostages in the enclave.