IDF says it killed Hamas terrorist who took part in kidnapping of Yarden Bibas
Former hostage, whose wife and 2 young kids were murdered in captivity, thanks security forces but stresses full closure will only come when all abductees return
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A Hamas terrorist who took part in the kidnapping of former hostage Yarden Bibas during the October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet announced Tuesday.
The strike on August 10 in Gaza killed Jihad Kamal Salem Najjar, who the military and Shin Bet said invaded Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 and abducted Yarden Bibas.
“A small part of my closure happened today,” Bibas reacted in a statement, thanking the security forces. “Thanks to you, he will be unable to hurt anyone else.”
He added that he was still waiting for further closure in the form of the return of his friends, twins David and Ariel Cunio, who are still held captive, as well as the other 48 hostages still held by terrorists, of whom 28 have been declared dead.
Bibas was released on February 1 of this year as part of the second ceasefire deal with Hamas.
His wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 10 months, were abducted by the Mujahideen Brigades terror group and murdered in captivity. The bodies of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir were returned under the same deal earlier this year. An Israeli autopsy determined that they had been murdered by their Hamas guards weeks after their abduction.
Since his return, Bibas has lobbied Israeli and American leaders to act to return the remaining captives.
He has said he met then-Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar while in captivity in Gaza, after which he was allowed to remain with his best friend, David Cunio, for two weeks before they were separated.
The Times of Israel Community.