In a searing, gut-wrenching interview aired Sunday night on CBS’ 60 Minutes, former Hamas hostage Yarden Bibas relived the unthinkable horror of losing his wife Shiri and their two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were murdered in cold blood while in captivity after being kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. The raw emotion in Bibas’ voice was only matched by the chilling cruelty of his captors, who he says taunted him with merciless words as he endured the nightmare of captivity. “[Shiri and the kids] were murdered in cold blood, bare hands,” Bibas said to journalist Lesley Stahl. “They used to tell me—‘Oh, doesn’t matter. You’ll get a new wife. Get new kids. Better wife. Better kids.’” Stahl, visibly shaken, struggled to comprehend the cruelty. “They said that to you?” she asked in disbelief. “Yeah, many times,” Bibas answered, his voice steady, yet filled with pain. As the ceasefire ended and fighting resumed, Bibas made a desperate plea to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, urging him to halt the war in hopes of securing the release of the remaining hostages. His message was read aloud in the Knesset, a painful reminder of those still trapped in Gaza. “We can’t keep fighting. There are still people who need to come home,” Bibas told Stahl. When asked if he believed that continued fighting could lead to more hostage releases, he responded: “No.” Among those still in captivity is Bibas’ childhood friend, David Cunio, who, along with his wife Sharon and their two daughters, was kidnapped. Though Sharon and the girls were freed in a prisoner exchange in November 2023, David remains in Gaza—a fate that Bibas cannot bear to accept. Holding up a photo, Bibas spoke of a lifetime of friendship now overshadowed by uncertainty and fear. “This is David. I know him from first grade. And this is his younger brother, Ariel… They’re both still in captivity. And… I don’t know if they’ve been given enough food, enough water. Especially now, with the war back on.” His voice cracked with urgency as he made a desperate appeal on behalf of Sharon, who has already endured the unimaginable. “Sharon must not lose her husband,” he implored. “This is the hardest thing I have to move with in my life, and David is not with me. I lost my wife and kids. Sharon must not lose her husband.” In an earlier-released excerpt from the interview, Bibas made a direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump, pleading for intervention to bring the remaining hostages home. “Please stop the war and help bring all the hostages back,” he urged. When asked if he truly believed Trump could make a difference, Bibas did not hesitate. “I know he can help. I’m here because of Trump.” As the war grinds on and diplomatic efforts stall, the anguished voices of survivors like Bibas serve as a chilling reminder that for dozens of families, the nightmare is far from over. The memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas is now a symbol of both unspeakable loss and an unrelenting fight for those still waiting in captivity. Their story is not over. Not until every hostage is brought home. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)