Final Farewell to the Bibas Family Unites a Nation in Mourning
Thousands of mourners in Israel joined a 60 km funeral procession honoring Shiri Bibas and her young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were murdered in captivity
Thousands of mourners, clutching orange balloons and national flags, lined the streets of central and southern Israel on Wednesday as they paid their final respects during the funeral procession for Shiri Bibas and her young sons, Ariel and Kfir. The procession, stretching over 60 kilometers from Rishon LeZion through Yavne, Ashdod, and Ashkelon to the community of Tsoher, marked a poignant moment as the Bibas family’s tragic loss was honored.
A statement from the Bibas family expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support. “We have begun the funeral procession accompanied by masses of Israelis. We see and hear you, and are moved and strengthened by you,” it read. Yarden Bibas, the husband of Shiri and father of Ariel and Kfir, “apologizes for not being able to come down and personally hug each and every one of you.” Yarden was released from Hamas captivity earlier this month.
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The procession saw hundreds singing the national anthem, lighting candles, and holding banners that apologized for the family’s unbearable loss. Many carried posters featuring Batman—a nod to the boys’ favorite superhero—while drivers pulled over to allow the convoy to pass, and soldiers and police officers saluted along the route.
The Bibas family, whose tragedy began on October 7, 2023, when terrorists stormed Kibbutz Nir Oz, has endured unimaginable pain. Ariel was just four years old and Kfir a mere nine months when they were abducted and later murdered in captivity. Their mother, Shiri Bibas, was also brutally killed, and after initial confusion over the return of her body, it was eventually handed back to the family following intense protests by Israeli authorities.
A closed funeral service in Zohar near Nir Oz followed a public procession that was live-streamed in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square. Mourners along the route and in various towns across Israel expressed deep sorrow and solidarity, with many lamenting the continued suffering of families affected by the conflict.
