Yarden Bibas delivered a heartbreaking eulogy for his wife, Shiri, and sons, Ariel and Kfir, on Wednesday after their bodies were returned from Hamas terrorists and officially identified. 

“Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me,” Yarden said, fighting back tears.

Yarden, who was freed in the first phase of the hostage and ceasefire agreement earlier this month, asked for forgiveness for what happened to the family on October 7. Shiri, 32, was taken hostage by Hamas and killed while in captivity along with sons Ariel and Kfir, who were 4 years old and 8 months old when abducted by the terrorists.

“Do you remember our last decision together? In the safe room, I asked if we should ‘fight or surrender.’ You said fight, so I fought. Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have fired.”

Yarden also begged his deceased wife to give him strength to fight through the darkness of his new life without them.

“Shiri, please watch over me. Protect me from bad decisions,” Yarden said. “Shield me from harmful things and protect me from myself. Guard me so I don’t sink into darkness.”

Speaking to his four-year-old son, Ariel, Yarden spoke about how his first son made him a father. 

“You transformed us into a family,” Yarden said. “You taught me what truly matters in life and about responsibility. The day you were born, I matured instantly because of you. You taught me so much about myself, and I want to thank you.”

Yarden said he hopes his son is not angry with him for what happened to the family on October 7, 2023.

“Ariel, I hope you’re not angry with me for failing to protect you properly and for not being there for you. I hope you know I thought about you every day, every minute.”

He added that he hopes Ariel is enjoying paradise in the afterlife.

“I’m sure you’re making all the angels laugh with your silly jokes and impressions. I hope there are plenty of butterflies for you to watch, just like you did during our picnics,” he said. “Teach Kfir all your impressions and make everyone laugh up there.”

Speaking to Kfir, who had not even had his first birthday before terrorists killed him, Yarden said his second son made his family more perfect than he thought was possible.

“I didn’t think our family could be more perfect, and then you came and made it even more perfect,” the mourning father said. “I remember your birth. I remember during the delivery when the midwife suddenly stopped everything—we were frightened and thought something was wrong—but it was just to tell us we had another redhead. Mom and I laughed and rejoiced.”

Yarden said he misses hearing the young redheads’ laughter and their morning games.  

“I cherished those little moments so much, and I miss them now more than ever!” Yarden said. “Kfir, I love you the most in the world, always in the world!”

After Yarden spoke, they played Avenged Sevenfold’s song, “Roman Sky.”

Shiri will share a grave with Kfir and Ariel so she is close to her sons.

“They will remain together and close, just as Shiri enveloped the children, always, including on that accursed day,” the funeral’s host, Carmit Palty Katzir, who also has family members who were killed and kidnapped on October 7.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday morning at Tzohar cemetery in southern Israel. It was closed to the public, but thousands of Israelis lined the streets to pay their respects during the funeral procession, with many wearing orange in honor of the redheaded Bibas brothers.

The bodies of Ariel and Kfir were handed over last Thursday along with the corpses of Oded Lifshitz and an unknown Gazan woman that Hamas claimed was Shiri after Hamas paraded them on stage in front of cheering crowds in a propaganda spectacle. Shiri’s body was later returned after an uproar over Hamas returning the wrong body. 

Following a forensic assessment of the bodies of Ariel and Kfir, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Friday that terrorists killed the young boys “with their bare hands.”

The news of the death of the Bibas boys has sparked international outrage and brought the total number of children from Israel who have died in the fallout of the October 7 attacks to 55.

Footage of Shiri’s terrified face while holding the two redheaded boys went viral after October 7, making the family a symbol of the horror terrorists inflicted on Israeli civilians on that day.

In November 2023, Hamas forced Yarden to record a video announcing the deaths of his wife and kids. He had reportedly clung to hope that his family was alive.

The full transcript of Yarden Bibas’s eulogy is below: 

“Mi Amor”

I remember the first time I said “mi amor” to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you that if I was certain I loved you, not to say it carelessly. I didn’t say it then because I didn’t want you to think I was rushing to say “I love you.” Shiri, I’ll confess to you now that I already loved you back then when I said “mi amor.”

Shiri, I love you and will always love you!

Shiri, you are everything to me!

You are the best wife and mother there could be.

Shiri, you are my best friend.

Mishmish, who will help me make decisions now? How am I supposed to make decisions without you?

Do you remember our last decision together?

In the safe room, I asked if we should “fight or surrender.” You said fight, so I fought.

Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have fired.

I think about everything we went through together—there are so many beautiful memories.

I remember Ariel and Kfir’s births. I remember the days we would sit at home or in a café, just the two of us, talking for hours about everything under the sun. It was wonderful. I miss those times deeply.

Your presence is profoundly missed.

I want to tell you about everything that’s happening in the world and here in Israel.

Shiri, everyone knows and loves us—you can’t imagine how surreal all this madness is.

Shiri, people tell me they’ll always be by my side, but they’re not you. So please stay close to me and don’t go far!

Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me!

Shiri, please watch over me…

Protect me from bad decisions. Shield me from harmful things and protect me from myself. Guard me so I don’t sink into darkness.

Mishmish, I love you!

Chuki, Ariel,

You made me a father. You transformed us into a family.

You taught me what truly matters in life and about responsibility.

The day you were born, I matured instantly because of you. You taught me so much about myself, and I want to thank you.

So thank you, my beloved.

Ariel, I hope you’re not angry with me for failing to protect you properly and for not being there for you. I hope you know I thought about you every day, every minute.

I hope you’re enjoying paradise. I’m sure you’re making all the angels laugh with your silly jokes and impressions. I hope there are plenty of butterflies for you to watch, just like you did during our picnics.

Chuki, be careful when you climb down from your cloud not to step on Toni…

Teach Kfir all your impressions and make everyone laugh up there.

Ariel, I love you “the most in the world, always in the world,” just as you used to tell us.

Poopik, Kfir,

I didn’t think our family could be more perfect, and then you came and made it even more perfect…

I remember your birth. I remember during the delivery when the midwife suddenly stopped everything—we were frightened and thought something was wrong—but it was just to tell us we had another redhead. Mom and I laughed and rejoiced.

You brought more light and happiness to our little home. You came with your sweet, captivating laugh and smile, and I was instantly hooked!

It was impossible not to nibble on you all the time.

Kfir, I’m sorry I didn’t protect you better, but I need you to know that I love you deeply and miss you terribly!

I miss nibbling on you and hearing your laughter.

I miss our morning games when mom would ask me to watch you before I went to work. I cherished those little moments so much, and I miss them now more than ever!

Kfir, I love you the most in the world, always in the world!

I have so many more things to tell you all, but I’ll save them for when we’re alone.

​[#item_full_content]  

​[[{“value”:”

Yarden Bibas delivered a heartbreaking eulogy for his wife, Shiri, and sons, Ariel and Kfir, on Wednesday after their bodies were returned from Hamas terrorists and officially identified. 

“Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me,” Yarden said, fighting back tears.

Yarden, who was freed in the first phase of the hostage and ceasefire agreement earlier this month, asked for forgiveness for what happened to the family on October 7. Shiri, 32, was taken hostage by Hamas and killed while in captivity along with sons Ariel and Kfir, who were 4 years old and 8 months old when abducted by the terrorists.

“Do you remember our last decision together? In the safe room, I asked if we should ‘fight or surrender.’ You said fight, so I fought. Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have fired.”

Yarden also begged his deceased wife to give him strength to fight through the darkness of his new life without them.

“Shiri, please watch over me. Protect me from bad decisions,” Yarden said. “Shield me from harmful things and protect me from myself. Guard me so I don’t sink into darkness.”

Speaking to his four-year-old son, Ariel, Yarden spoke about how his first son made him a father. 

“You transformed us into a family,” Yarden said. “You taught me what truly matters in life and about responsibility. The day you were born, I matured instantly because of you. You taught me so much about myself, and I want to thank you.”

Yarden said he hopes his son is not angry with him for what happened to the family on October 7, 2023.

“Ariel, I hope you’re not angry with me for failing to protect you properly and for not being there for you. I hope you know I thought about you every day, every minute.”

He added that he hopes Ariel is enjoying paradise in the afterlife.

“I’m sure you’re making all the angels laugh with your silly jokes and impressions. I hope there are plenty of butterflies for you to watch, just like you did during our picnics,” he said. “Teach Kfir all your impressions and make everyone laugh up there.”

Speaking to Kfir, who had not even had his first birthday before terrorists killed him, Yarden said his second son made his family more perfect than he thought was possible.

“I didn’t think our family could be more perfect, and then you came and made it even more perfect,” the mourning father said. “I remember your birth. I remember during the delivery when the midwife suddenly stopped everything—we were frightened and thought something was wrong—but it was just to tell us we had another redhead. Mom and I laughed and rejoiced.”

Yarden said he misses hearing the young redheads’ laughter and their morning games.  

“I cherished those little moments so much, and I miss them now more than ever!” Yarden said. “Kfir, I love you the most in the world, always in the world!”

After Yarden spoke, they played Avenged Sevenfold’s song, “Roman Sky.”

Shiri will share a grave with Kfir and Ariel so she is close to her sons.

“They will remain together and close, just as Shiri enveloped the children, always, including on that accursed day,” the funeral’s host, Carmit Palty Katzir, who also has family members who were killed and kidnapped on October 7.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday morning at Tzohar cemetery in southern Israel. It was closed to the public, but thousands of Israelis lined the streets to pay their respects during the funeral procession, with many wearing orange in honor of the redheaded Bibas brothers.

The bodies of Ariel and Kfir were handed over last Thursday along with the corpses of Oded Lifshitz and an unknown Gazan woman that Hamas claimed was Shiri after Hamas paraded them on stage in front of cheering crowds in a propaganda spectacle. Shiri’s body was later returned after an uproar over Hamas returning the wrong body. 

Following a forensic assessment of the bodies of Ariel and Kfir, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Friday that terrorists killed the young boys “with their bare hands.”

The news of the death of the Bibas boys has sparked international outrage and brought the total number of children from Israel who have died in the fallout of the October 7 attacks to 55.

Footage of Shiri’s terrified face while holding the two redheaded boys went viral after October 7, making the family a symbol of the horror terrorists inflicted on Israeli civilians on that day.

In November 2023, Hamas forced Yarden to record a video announcing the deaths of his wife and kids. He had reportedly clung to hope that his family was alive.

The full transcript of Yarden Bibas’s eulogy is below: 

“Mi Amor”

I remember the first time I said “mi amor” to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you that if I was certain I loved you, not to say it carelessly. I didn’t say it then because I didn’t want you to think I was rushing to say “I love you.” Shiri, I’ll confess to you now that I already loved you back then when I said “mi amor.”

Shiri, I love you and will always love you!

Shiri, you are everything to me!

You are the best wife and mother there could be.

Shiri, you are my best friend.

Mishmish, who will help me make decisions now? How am I supposed to make decisions without you?

Do you remember our last decision together?

In the safe room, I asked if we should “fight or surrender.” You said fight, so I fought.

Shiri, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you all. If only I had known what would happen, I wouldn’t have fired.

I think about everything we went through together—there are so many beautiful memories.

I remember Ariel and Kfir’s births. I remember the days we would sit at home or in a café, just the two of us, talking for hours about everything under the sun. It was wonderful. I miss those times deeply.

Your presence is profoundly missed.

I want to tell you about everything that’s happening in the world and here in Israel.

Shiri, everyone knows and loves us—you can’t imagine how surreal all this madness is.

Shiri, people tell me they’ll always be by my side, but they’re not you. So please stay close to me and don’t go far!

Shiri, this is the closest I’ve been to you since October 7th, and I can’t kiss or hug you, and it’s breaking me!

Shiri, please watch over me…

Protect me from bad decisions. Shield me from harmful things and protect me from myself. Guard me so I don’t sink into darkness.

Mishmish, I love you!

Chuki, Ariel,

You made me a father. You transformed us into a family.

You taught me what truly matters in life and about responsibility.

The day you were born, I matured instantly because of you. You taught me so much about myself, and I want to thank you.

So thank you, my beloved.

Ariel, I hope you’re not angry with me for failing to protect you properly and for not being there for you. I hope you know I thought about you every day, every minute.

I hope you’re enjoying paradise. I’m sure you’re making all the angels laugh with your silly jokes and impressions. I hope there are plenty of butterflies for you to watch, just like you did during our picnics.

Chuki, be careful when you climb down from your cloud not to step on Toni…

Teach Kfir all your impressions and make everyone laugh up there.

Ariel, I love you “the most in the world, always in the world,” just as you used to tell us.

Poopik, Kfir,

I didn’t think our family could be more perfect, and then you came and made it even more perfect…

I remember your birth. I remember during the delivery when the midwife suddenly stopped everything—we were frightened and thought something was wrong—but it was just to tell us we had another redhead. Mom and I laughed and rejoiced.

You brought more light and happiness to our little home. You came with your sweet, captivating laugh and smile, and I was instantly hooked!

It was impossible not to nibble on you all the time.

Kfir, I’m sorry I didn’t protect you better, but I need you to know that I love you deeply and miss you terribly!

I miss nibbling on you and hearing your laughter.

I miss our morning games when mom would ask me to watch you before I went to work. I cherished those little moments so much, and I miss them now more than ever!

Kfir, I love you the most in the world, always in the world!

I have so many more things to tell you all, but I’ll save them for when we’re alone.

“}]] 

 

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