Hundreds holding orange balloons mark 1st birthday of redheaded hostage Kfir Bibas in Tel Aviv

A crowd of hundreds holding orange balloons gathers at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square to mark the first birthday of Kfir Bibas.

Kfir has spent a quarter of his life in captivity, says the emcee. Kfir, along with his 4-year-old brother Ariel and their parents Shiri and Yarden, were abducted on October 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz to Gaza.

Onstage, children hold posters of the Bibas family decorated with orange balloons and printed with the words, “The saddest birthday in the world.” Entertainer Tal Museri tearfully devotes the first song to heroic mothers and fathers.

Related: ‘The saddest birthday in the world’: Hostage Kfir Bibas turns 1 in Hamas captivity

“Hug your kids, my child, follow your own path,” sings Museri.

Israel Prize-winning actor Miriam Zohar says she wants only one thing, to celebrate Kfir’s first birthday with him at the square. “Bring them home now!” she says.

Yifat Zailer, a Bibas cousin, thanks the crowd. “We have a significant voice and let’s make sure no one has to celebrate another birthday in captivity,” she says.

The crowd stands quietly.

Shiri’s cousins read a letter from Yarden’s sister, Ofri Bibas, currently on a mission abroad: “There’s so much we haven’t been able to do with you. Are you speaking any words, are you walking? The biggest gift we could give you would be to bring you home.”

Shiri Bibas’s cousin Yosi Shnaider says a one-year-old should be looking at colors instead of being in a dark tunnel, should have books read to him rather than hear the voices of Hamas terrorists.

“They need to be released today and we can’t forget them for one moment. Enough with the sad faces! We need to scream to the skies that it’s our children and siblings and parents and grandparents there,” says Shnaider.

“I don’t know if Shiri even knows it’s the 18th. But hold the children tight and we’ll see you soon,” he says.