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Ariel Bibas, the 4-year-old who was murdered in Hamas captivity, had a close friend in Kibbutz Nir Oz named Yoav Avital. Since Ariel was kidnapped at the age of 3, Yoav never stopped believing in and waiting for his friend’s return.
On Wednesday, a simple drawing was placed on Ariel’s grave alongside teddy bears and flowers. In it, little Yoav wrote: “Died at age 4” and “I am sad.”
Ariel was buried alongside his mother, Shiri, and his infant brother, Kfir, who were murdered in captivity by the terrorists holding them. Yoav’s mother, Yamit, recently shared how her son experienced the tragedy of his friend’s abduction and murder.
“I want to tell you a bit about the thoughts and questions from my children's perspective,” she wrote. “Ariel Bibas was my youngest son Yoav’s friend. They grew up together from infancy. When the first hostage deal was announced, with each group of released captives, he kept asking about Ariel and Kfir —when would it be their turn to come back?
“From time to time, Yoav would ask me if I knew what was happening with Ariel and Kfir, telling me how much he missed them and worried about them. He even asked to write a letter for Ariel and give it to his kindergarten teacher, Mali, so she could pass it on when he returned. He told me what to write: 'Ariel, I want to draw you Batman and all the flying heroes so you’ll feel like flying over Gaza. And fight the bad guys with a bow and arrow. Then you’ll come back to us and be with us in kindergarten. I hope you buy yourself sweets and a cape. I miss you.’
“A few weeks later, realizing Ariel still hadn’t returned, Yoav asked to send a message on the radio, hoping Ariel would hear it and find strength to come home. Every so often, he asked if Ariel and Kfir had a kindergarten in Gaza if they were allowed to play in the sand and run outside like they did in the kibbutz.
“Last Purim, Yoav wanted to keep his Batman costume for Ariel, ‘because he’ll be back any day now.’ And when he didn’t return, Yoav decided to wear it himself — to fly off and rescue him.
“In the past six weeks, we explained the hostage deal and its details to our children. When Yoav heard the news, he jumped with joy — Ariel would be home soon. Unfortunately, we also had to tell them that some of those returning would not be alive. That was Yoav’s biggest fear. He immediately asked, ‘So Ariel is dead? He’s not coming back?’ I told him we didn’t know yet. That same day, he began to say goodbye in his own way. Through tears, he said, ‘My heart hurts. It feels heavy. I can’t stop thinking about him.’
“But we still had hope, and we waited like everyone else.
“Every Saturday, my children asked if Ariel was coming home this time. But each time, only older hostages returned. Then came the questions: ‘Where are Ariel, Kfir and Shiri? They’re the smallest ones — why aren’t they being released first? Shiri is a woman — shouldn’t she be freed before the men?’
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“Yoav said, ‘Maybe they love Ariel so much there because he’s funny and mischievous, and that’s why the terrorists don’t want to let him go.’
“Last Tuesday, when the list of hostages returning alive was published, we understood we had to prepare our children. When the final news arrived, the questions came, innocent children’s questions:
"‘What? Why? How did he die? How could they do that? Why would they kill them? But they didn’t do anything to them. He was only 5, younger than me, and Kfir was just a baby…’
“And then came their thoughts: ‘If he’s coming back in a coffin, that means he’s standing inside it. So that means he’s still alive.’
"‘But how does he fit in a coffin lying down? He’s still alive, Mom, you didn’t understand it right.’
"‘If Ariel is a fallen hero, that means he’s flying in space. He can’t be dead.’
“And then the suggestions: ‘But in Israel, there are really smart people, right, Mom? Maybe they can invent a special potion with ingredients that can bring Ariel and Kfir back to life. It will have a bit of Batman’s two knives, fire, speed and a cape so he can fly fast to Gaza. There, the knives will cut open the bottle quickly, the potion will spill on him, and he’ll be able to come back. Simple.’”
Yamit continued: “Sadly, I had to explain that the dead cannot come back to life. And he answered me, ‘But I miss him. Can I see him just one more time?’ With tear-filled eyes, all I could tell him was that he could see Ariel in his dreams — hug him tight, play superheroes, splash together in the pool, explore bugs and plants, tell him how he’s doing, and hear how Ariel is doing too.”
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The funeral of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas
(GPO)
"Shiri, my dear, I want to believe that just as you wrapped your arms around Ariel and Kfir during the abduction, you held them close until the very last moment. You will always remain in my memory as a lioness of a mother.
"Your story was meant to end differently. We all wished for a happy ending. But now that we have certainty, knowing you are no longer suffering and that you are home, on Israeli soil, we ask you to rest in peace — the peace you so deserve. We will stay with our longing. And from that longing, we will grow again."