'Days only get harder': Released hostage Yarden Bibas honors murdered son Ariel on seventh birthday
“Chuki, I can't lift you up in your birthday chair, and I also don't get to see you excitedly open all the presents you would have received," his father, Yarden Bibas, wrote.
On Wednesday, the seventh birthday of Yarden Bibas's son Ariel, the father honored his son's memory following his tragic murder at the hands of Hamas. Ariel Bibas was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, attack along with his parents, Shiri and Kfir, who also perished in captivity. Yarden, who was abducted separately during the assault, was released from captivity in February 2025, making him the sole survivor of the immediate family.
In an emotional message, Yarden Bibas reflected on the passage of time without offering any respite to the deep void left by his family's loss. "Time isn't doing its thing, and the days aren't becoming any easier. The longing grows stronger day by day, and the feelings of loneliness and absence only intensify," he lamented.
The father shared that life without his wife and children feels hollow, as they once celebrated birthdays together at the kibbutz and indulged in joyous moments. Yarden Bibas expressed hope that Ariel was being celebrated in heaven, and that his mother had arranged a beautiful birthday for him, just as they did at the kibbutz every year.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
