Hundreds of people marched on Monday in Tel Aviv to mark the fifth birthday of Ariel Bibas, who is still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
The event began with a massive orange-themed march from Habima Square, with thousands of participants walking to Hostages Square. A birthday commemoration event took place there, including speeches by family members and musicians.
The march was led by members of the Bibas family, who advocated for the return of Ariel, his younger brother, Kfir, and their parents, Shiri and Yarden.
Shiri has been held hostage by Hamas for 304 days with Ariel and Kfir. Yarden is also a hostage but is being held separately from his family.
Kfir turned one in January while in Hamas captivity, which his family marked as “the saddest birthday in the world” for the youngest hostage being held by Hamas.
The Bibas family was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, when Kfir was nine months old and Ariel was four years old. The boys, who are known for their red hair, became known around the world as symbols to advocate for the release of the Gaza hostages.
Posters of the boys and their parents were posted around the world, and orange balloons were released to call for their return.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement: “You’ve become a symbol of inconceivable cruelty that occurred on October 7. But for us, you’re not a symbol – you’re a family we love.”
Ofri Bibas, Yarden Bibas’s sister, said: “Two weeks ago, our prime minister flew to Washington, carrying Ariel’s drawing. Ariel had described his drawing to his kindergarten teacher: ‘I’m flying and rescuing people trapped in a pit.’ Every word in that sentence pierces my heart like a knife. And I ask: Who will rescue Ariel? Who will save Kfir, Shiri, Yarden, and the other 114 hostages? “I appeal to you, prime minister,” she said. “Holding a picture is not enough. Their fate is in your hands. There’s a deal you’ve signed. Don’t add changes; don’t set new redlines. Don’t hesitate or delay. Bring them home.”
Yifat Zeiler, of hostage Shiri Bibas’s cousin, said: “There’s nothing to say. This morning, I already feel that I’ve run out of words.”
“It was a very emotionally intense week, the anxiety of an attack from Iran and the 300th day, and now Ariel’s birthday,” she told Radio 103FM. “All together, it’s indescribable.”
Bibas family has become a symbol of the struggle to release the hostages
“They’ve become a symbol, but to us, they’re family, and we miss them so much,” Zeiler said. “We did not believe that we would reach this day, that so much time would pass, and they would not be here.
“In our family, we are used to celebrating birthdays in a small way. Although it requires physical and mental strength from us, we know from the returnees that the hostages sometimes see clips on television. If Yarden or Shiri see the whole family and the audience that comes, I hope it will give them hope.”
“It was also important for us to hold the event to prevent the normalization of this terrible situation,” she said. “The children are in the hearts of all of us, but life progresses, and it’s as if they’ve gotten used to this shocking fact that they’re there. We also hope that this event will make ministers and MKs listen to the public. After 10 months of war, there is no debate on the issue of the hostages. We are losing them. Maybe yesterday was the last day of one of the hostages because he couldn’t take it anymore, or they were murdered. We will not give up and will make their voices heard because they can’t.”
“It’s important for us that the public is with us,” Zeiler said. “It will be an event suitable for children in the atmosphere of Ariel, who loves Batman. There is no need to fear violence; just come and shout with us that we want them at home. The entire Bibas family celebrated a birthday in captivity, and I don’t think anyone can understand the situation we, as a family, are in. Soon, Yarden will celebrate another birthday in captivity.”