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Yarden Bibas and Eli Sharabi, both survivors of captivity, were confronted with devastating news upon their return to Israel.
For Sharabi, it was the confirmation that his wife Lianne and their daughters, Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13, were murdered in the October 7 terrorist attack and that his brother Yossi died in captivity.
For Yarden, the uncertainty surrounding the fate of his wife Shiri and their children, Kfir and Ariel, remains unbearable. While Hamas claims they are dead, Israeli authorities have yet to confirm this. "Grave concern for their fate" is the prevailing sentiment, and despite the slim chances, Yarden’s family says he remains driven by faith and determination.
Jimmy Miller, Shiri Bibas’ cousin, shared with Ynet that the family draws strength from Yarden’s unwavering belief. "Yarden isn’t focusing on himself or what he went through," Miller explained, "but on bringing his family back to Israel. He believes Hamas’ claims about Shiri and the children’s deaths are speculative. If he believes, who are we to doubt him?"
Miller added, "We gain strength from him—his resilience, his faith and the hope he carries. We truly hope Yarden will one day smile again, both in body and in spirit. We pray Shiri and the children return soon. They deserve it, Yarden deserves it and so do we all. Every hostage must be brought home."
Miller also spoke about the condition of returning hostages, saying, "We see them walking on both feet, but no one sees the scars beneath their clothes or the wounds in their souls. Beneath their clothes are countless bruises, scars and injuries. On the surface, they may smile, hug and seem in good spirits, but that’s just adrenaline. After being chained, abused and barely fed for so long, this is a natural reaction. Their bodies are broken, their souls even more so, and it will take a long time before they can resume anything resembling a normal life."
He continued, "The last three hostages who were released were taken from the area near Khan Younis and kidnapped from Nir Oz, just like Shiri and the children. Have we received any indication or news? The army comes to us directly with updates. As far as I know, there’s been no new information about Shiri and the children. We remain in the dark. There’s heavy uncertainty about their fate, their whereabouts, or even if they’re alive. But we hold on to hope—that’s all we have—and we pray we won’t be disappointed."
When asked what message he wanted to send decision-makers about continuing the release efforts, Miller stated, "I want to believe that we don’t need a Phase II or Phase III of this process. We need to do everything in one phase—continue Phase I without delay. We don’t want phases II and III to get stuck. We know there are people still in dire conditions, and we can’t let this stall. I hope decision-makers unanimously agree this operation must continue until every hostage is brought back home. President Trump fully supports this. Even he doesn’t understand why we aren’t pushing harder or demanding it outright, and I hope this momentum continues."
Meanwhile, Emily Damari, who was released from captivity in the first round of the current hostage deal, visited the Western Wall on Monday, marking 500 days since the abduction of her friends, Gali and Ziv Berman, the twin hostages still held captive. "At the holiest place for our people, I prayed for Gali and Ziv, and for all the other hostages who have been in Hamas captivity for 500 days. They must return as soon as possible," she wrote in an Instagram post.
In another post she shared, Damari included a note: "All of Israel’s hostages held by Hamas will return in the coming days. May God grant Gali ben (son of) Talia and Ziv ben Talia complete healing and strength to endure, and may they hold on to their faith that they will soon be with us again."
Osnat Sharabi-Matalon, sister of Eli and Yossi, whose body remains in Gaza, told Ynet, "Eli is beginning to process the bitter news of what happened during those 500 days. He’s taking it one step at a time, at his own pace. Every day there’s a little progress, even if it’s small. That’s why we remain optimistic."
She continued, "I believe the time will come when Eli will be able to share his story. We’ll leave that space for him. For now, we must keep going, especially for the 73 remaining hostages. We are overjoyed for every family that is reunited with their loved ones, giving them the chance to care for them and be with them."
Osnat emphasized that Eli returned with a mission: "He came back determined to help rescue everyone still there. He passed on critical information to the relevant authorities to assist in saving those left behind. I believe those who received this information are acting on it, and Eli believes that too."
Speaking about Eli’s physical condition, she remarked on his fragile and emaciated appearance, which reminded many of Holocaust survivors. "That image was so stark," she said. "It spoke louder than any words we could use to describe his ordeal. We must understand that time is running out. This isn’t fabricated—it’s real, and we have no time to waste."
In recent days, a crowdfunding campaign for Eli has gained traction, sparking widespread anger among citizens questioning why the government isn’t providing for him. Osnat explained, "This initiative was started by close friends, childhood friends of Eli. He’s a social person with many circles of friends. I think people didn’t know how else to help. His image shook the entire country, and even the diaspora, and people just wanted to do something for him. This campaign isn’t about what the state provides or doesn’t provide. We’re not there yet. We’re taking things one step at a time, and more will become clear as we go."
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Yehuda Cohen, father of Nimrod Cohen, who remains in captivity in Gaza, shared his thoughts after receiving proof of life from his son through one of the returning hostages. "We received what Ron Dermer didn’t want us to have—what he tried to convince the Americans of: That they’re all dead and there’s no point in fighting for their return. Yes, the hostages are coming back, and they’re bringing information. They show us there’s still a fight worth fighting to bring everyone back."
When asked about his stance, despite the ongoing release process, Cohen said, "This deal is happening because Trump made it happen. It’s not because Netanyahu wanted it or his government did. Trump told him, ‘Enough is enough. You won’t play games with me—I’m not Biden.’ That’s why this deal moved forward."
Cohen expressed hope, saying, "With the help of Trump, Steve Witkoff, and the American administration, we’ll move on to the next phase and bring all the hostages home. Yesterday, we saw Witkoff at the Nova memorial event in Miami, and he’s committed. Unlike Netanyahu, who sits in his ivory tower trying to survive another day as prime minister, we’ve had to rely on outside forces to compel the Israeli government to do what it is legally obligated to do: protect and save Israeli lives."
When asked about the returning hostages’ accounts of Nimrod’s condition, Cohen said, "They were with him until their release. The proof of life we received confirms that he is alive, healthy, and stable after 500 days. He’s there, and he will return alive—we’ll make sure of it. The message is clear: we have proof of life for Nimrod, and we’re making it public as his life insurance, to protect him and prevent Netanyahu and Dermer from spinning false stories that they’re all dead, that there’s no urgency, and that no deal is needed."