Hundreds mark hostage Ariel Bibas’s 5th birthday with bubbles, candles in Central Park
Bibas family plans march in honor of Ariel in Tel Aviv on Monday, while Israel Railways, Jerusalem honor him with orange lights
Hundreds gathered in Central Park in New York City on Sunday to mark Hamas hostage Ariel Bibas‘s 5th birthday, the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters said in a statement.
Participants in the event blew bubbles in honor of Ariel, who has been held captive in Gaza by Hamas, along with his mother, Shiri, and baby brother, Kfir, since October 7, and wished for all the hostages’ release over birthday candles. His birthday is Monday.
“Seasons change and we’re still here crying for my family’s freedom. PM Netanyahu came to DC, vacationed in Miami, and still no deal has been signed. The time is now — bring them home now!” said Shiri’s uncle, Maurice Shnaider, at the event.
The forum also said that the rest of the Bibas family would mark Ariel’s birthday in Tel Aviv on Monday with a march from Habima Square to Hostages Square.
Israel Railways and Jerusalem’s municipality also marked Ariel’s birthday with the national railway company lighting up its stations with orange lights and Jerusalem lit the Bridge of Strings at the entrance to the city with orange lights in honor of Ariel’s distinctive red hair.
Meanwhile, a post shared on X by an account dedicated to the Bibas family encouraged users to share photos of cakes with a candle in honor of Ariel on Monday.
Ariel and his baby brother Kfir, who turned one in captivity, were taken hostage with their mother, Shiri, on October 7, as she clutched them in her arms, wrapping them with a baby blanket, and was pushed out of her home by Hamas terrorists.
Their father, Yarden Bibas, was taken hostage separately. Since then, there have been scraps of information about the couple and their redheaded boys, but no real evidence of their whereabouts.
Hamas has claimed that the children are no longer alive, but the IDF has not found any evidence to support this.
It is believed that 111 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 39 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Seven hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 24 hostages have also been recovered, including three abductees mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
Jessica Steinberg contributed to this report.
