Yarden Bibas appeals to Trump: Stop the war, bring back all the hostages; I’m only here because of you

Yarden Bibas calls on US President Donald Trump to stop the war in Gaza and bring the hostages back, in his first interview since his release from Hamas captivity and the return of his murdered wife and two young children earlier this year.

Asked on CBS’s ’60 Minutes’ if he has a message for Trump, Bibas responds, “Please stop this war and help bring all of the hostages back.”

Pressed on whether he really believes that Trump can help, Bibas replies, “I know he can help. I’m here because of Trump. I’m here only because of him.”

Bibas’s remarks appear to reflect the feeling of many of the hostage families who have focused efforts to release their loved ones on the administration in Washington, believing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government needs to be pressured by the US into agreeing to a deal.

Bibas’s response also highlights hostage families’ opposition to Netanyahu’s decision to resume the war earlier this month amid an impasse in negotiations with Hamas. They have expressed fear that the resumed Israeli strikes endanger the remaining hostages. Roughly 24 of the 59 captives still in Gaza are believed to still be alive.

It’s not just hostage families who are opposed. A poll aired over the weekend on Channel 12 showed that 69 percent of Israelis support ending the war in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages — something that Netanyahu has opposed, arguing that it would leave Hamas in power.

Bibas conducts the interview while wearing a t-shirt with the pictures of hostage brothers David and Ariel Cunio — his neighbors in Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was the hardest hit border town during Hamas’s October 7 onslaught.

Bibas is one of several released hostages interviewed for the ’60 Minutes’ segment, which will air in full tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Also taking part is recently released American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel.