Fundraiser for Yarden Bibas, Freed Hamas Hostage, Exceeds $1.7 Million

In a powerful display of unity and compassion, a fundraising campaign for freed Hamas hostage Yarden Bibas has surpassed $1.7 million, with donations still pouring in from Israel and around the globe.

Yarden Bibas, 35, survived 16 months in Hamas captivity, enduring unimaginable suffering. His ordeal began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border. Yarden, his wife Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, were abducted from their home in Nir Oz Kibbutz. While Yarden endured over a year in captivity, the tragedy deepened: Shiri and their sons were murdered just one month after their abduction. Yarden learned of their fate only upon his release on February 1.

To support Yarden as he faces the painful task of rebuilding his life from nothing, his father Eli Bibas launched a fundraising campaign. The campaign initially aimed to raise 5 million shekels (approximately $1.37 million USD), but the outpouring of generosity quickly surpassed that goal. Within hours of launching, contributions surged past $1.7 million, reflecting widespread solidarity with Yarden’s heartbreaking journey.

“For 484 days, Yarden waited to embrace his family again,” Eli wrote on the fundraiser page. “Instead of reuniting with them, he was released into a cruel and heartbreaking reality the worst nightmare imaginable. He lost his family, his home, his belongings – he lost everything. Now, we are here to help him rebuild from the ashes.”

The campaign, supported by US-based charity Lehosheet Yad, is part of their “Returning to Life” project, assisting families and children freed from Hamas captivity. Moshe Minaker, a spokesperson for the charity, shared, “The overwhelming support from people worldwide has been incredible, and we are confident we will reach our goal in the coming hours.”

Adding to the devastation, the bodies of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were returned last month under a fragile hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. In a further insult, Hamas initially returned the body of an unidentified woman, later correcting their "mistake" by returning Shiri's remains. An Israeli examination confirmed the horrific reality: the children were strangled, and Shiri was brutally murdered and shot.

The funeral for Shiri and her two sons drew thousands of mourners, who lined the streets in Southern Israel to pay their respects. They were laid to rest together, alongside Shiri’s parents, Yossi and Margit Silberman, who were also murdered by Hamas on that fateful October day.

The October 7 attacks claimed the lives of at least 1,180 people, with 252 Israelis and foreigners taken hostage. Today, 59 hostages remain, of whom 36 are believed to have been murdered.

The overwhelming global response to Yarden Bibas’s fundraiser reflects the deep empathy felt toward the victims and survivors of terror. Israel stands strong, bound by its unwavering commitment to protect life, honor the memory of the innocent, and support those who must rebuild.

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