After the release of hostages Yarden Bibas, Keith Segal, and Ofer Kalderon from the captivity of the Hamas terrorist organization today (Saturday), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his first response, pledging that the government would continue to act to return all the hostages, and to achieve all the objectives of the war.
“Ofer, Yarden, Keith – how good it is to see you at home!” Netanyahu began and said. “Together with all the citizens of Israel and so many around the world, my wife and I were so moved to see you return to us.”
Netanyahu reminded that during the previous phase earlier this week, “we made it decisively clear that we would not accept a violation of the agreement. We insisted on it and brought forward by a week the release of three of our hostages. Also, after the chaotic scenes in Gaza we all witnessed the day before yesterday, we demanded the safe exit of our hostages in the upcoming releases.”
“As you saw today,” the Prime Minister added, “this firm stance proved itself. The message was conveyed, received, and executed. Israel expects that all the next phases will also be carried out safely.”
“We will continue to act with determination to bring them home and achieve all the war’s objectives.”
Later in his remarks, Netanyahu addressed the citizens: “In the past two weeks, we have managed to free 13 of our hostages, along with five Thai citizens who were also held by Hamas. At this time, all our thoughts are with Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas – they are in our thoughts, along with all our hostages, both the living and the fallen, who have not yet returned home.”
Hostage Yarden Bibas was released today, but his wife Shiri Bibas and their two sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2, were also abducted from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7th, and have not yet been released. Kfir, then 9 months old, became the youngest hostage taken during these attacks. The fate of Shiri and her children remains uncertain, with ongoing concerns for their well-being.
At the conclusion of his response to the release of the three hostages, he said: “We will continue to act with determination to bring them home and to achieve all the war’s objectives. With God’s help – we will act and succeed.”
