This Wednesday afternoon, news broke that a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas has been reached, a deal confirmed by several officials. According to JTA, “under the reported terms of the deal, its first phase will last 42 days and will see the Israeli military withdraw from portions of Gaza as Hamas releases 33 hostages in exchange for a much larger number of Palestinian prisoners convicted of terrorism by Israel.”
The stages of release would begin with some of the women hostages and the remaining two child hostages: Ariel Bibas, 5, and Kfir Bibas, whose second birthday is mere days away. The two were captured from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with their father, Yarden, and their mother, Shiri. Previously released hostages reported that they saw Yarden, and that he was held apart from his family. Hamas has also previously reported that Shiri and the two children are dead, but Israeli authorities did not confirm these reports. According to reports, the release of the women and children, then the release of female soldiers and older ailing hostages would ensue.
Yet the Bibas family isn’t celebrating at this time. They have released a harrowing statement in light of the news:
“We are aware of the news that states that our family members are included in the first stage of the agreement and that Shiri and the children will be among the first hostages to be released. We have learned from past experience and disappointments and therefore until our loved ones have crossed the border, there is no end to this story,” the family shared in a statement to Israeli press. “We are waiting for certainty about their release and their conditions and are asking that no one reaches out to us in this sensitive time. We are asking not to lend a hand to spreading rumors. We address the prime minister and continue the demand to release them all, until the final hostage.”
Last night, Eli Bibas, Yarden’s father, shared his feelings and worries at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
“We have gone through a year and three months in which I learned to live in uncertainty, fear, lack of control, helplessness,” he told the crowd. “The last weeks were particularly titillating and painful. I am trying not to drown in a sea of rumors, the news, the half truths and lies around the negotiations and to hang on to any positive news. And through all that, next Saturday, our Kfir will celebrate his second birthday in captivity. This past year for us as a people has symbolized breakage, destruction. The nightmare that became our reality in the past year must end. We are at a historic crossroads and are obligated to rebuild the foundations upon which this country was established, to properly uphold the values we were raised on — mutual responsibility, the sanctity of human life and the love of mankind.”
We join the Bibas family in praying for the safe return of all the 98 remaining hostages, and for the safety of all human life in the region.
