(3 Feb 2025)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ramat Gan, Israel – 03 February 2025
1. Ofri Bibas Levy, Yarden Bibas’s sister, Dana Silberman Sitton, Shiri Bibas’s sister, and relatives arriving
2. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Ofri Bibas Levy, sister of Yarden Bibas:
“We went through 484 days of anxiety, fear and uncertainty and now Yarden is home. Yarden is here and we found out what we already knew, how strong and amazing he is. We found out how he kept himself in hell with the sensitivity and humour that characterize him so much. Our Yarden is finally home. We were so excited to hug him and know he was safe. We look at him and hug him and can’t believe he’s here.”
3. Cutaway camera
4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Ofri Bibas Levy, sister of Yarden Bibas:
“Yarden says that he went through many places during his time in captivity. Kept in harsh conditions of captivity for long periods of time, food was scarce and hygiene conditions were poor. He lost a lot of weight, lost considerable muscle mass, and was almost never exposed to sunlight.”
5. Cutaway Israeli flag and flag of Sheba Medical Centre
6. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Ofri Bibas Levy, sister of Yarden Bibas:
“I demand that the Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) and the negotiating team provide him and us with answers. He deserves it after everything he survived. Yarden is here but we are not complete, nor will our journey be complete until we receive certainty regarding the fate of Shiri and the children.”
7. Photos (from left) of Shiri Bibas, Ariel Bibas, Kfir Bibas
8. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Dana Silberman Sitton, sister of Shiri Bibas:
“We have one question – where are Shiri and the children? Three quarters of our hearts are still in captivity and until they are returned we will remain incomplete. I will take advantage of this stage that was given to me to say – we will not accept the uncertainty anymore. We demand answers, we demand they are returned to us. This is the state’s duty towards us after everything we have been through.”
9. Bibas family leaving after statements
STORYLINE:
The family of Israeli hostage, Yarden Bibas, who was released by Hamas-led militants on Saturday, said he was held in very difficult conditions.
Yarden was “kept in harsh conditions of captivity for long periods of time, food was scarce and hygiene conditions were poor, ” his sister, Ofri Bibas-Levy, said on Monday, from the hospital where he is recovering in Tel Aviv.
She said her brother had lost significant weight and muscle mass due to the difficult conditions, including rarely seeing the sun.
Yarden Bibas was kidnapped separately from his wife, Shiri Bibas, and two children, Ariel and Kfir, who were four years old and nine months when they were kidnapped.
Kfir was the youngest of about 30 children taken hostage Oct. 7, and the infant with red hair and a toothless smile became a symbol across Israel.
The release of Yarden Bibas has dimmed hopes that his wife and children were still alive in Gaza.
Hamas has claimed that the three were killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesperson said last week that the government was “extremely concerned” about their welfare.
“We have one question – where are Shiri and the children? Three quarters of our hearts are still in captivity and until they are returned we will remain incomplete,” said Dana Silberman-Sutton, Shiri Bibas’ sister, who was also at the hospital in Tel Aviv.
AP video by Ami Bentov
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