Jordan Bibas Marks Son Ariel’s Third Birthday Without Him Amid Deep Loss
Jordan Bibas, an Israeli captive survivor who returned from Gaza without his family, shared a poignant message on social media commemorating what would have been his son Ariel’s seventh birthday. Ariel, who was four at the time of his abduction and was killed along with his mother Shiri and younger brother Kfir, is remembered by Bibas with heartfelt words: "Third birthday without you, you should have been seven today. We love and miss you very much." This marks the third consecutive year Bibas has marked Ariel’s birthday in his absence, having previously posted similarly emotional tributes for Kfir’s birthdays.
Over the past year, Bibas has openly expressed his profound grief and loneliness following the loss of his family, who were kidnapped and murdered in Gaza. On Israel’s Independence Day, he shared his feelings of isolation, saying, "We moved to the Golan as we wanted... but I miss you every second. I feel so alone without you." He described the pain of surviving while his loved ones did not, stating, "The fact that I am here and you are not is the hardest thing for me." In moments of despair, he looks to the sky searching for "my three stars, Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir."
Bibas also honored his late wife’s parents and the family dog, emphasizing the enduring love and memory of his lost family. The Bibas family’s story has become a symbol of the heavy human cost of the recent conflict. Several memorial initiatives have been established, including a square named after the family in their hometown of Ramla, featuring three butterflies symbolizing freedom and hope. The Israeli Defense Forces have also commemorated them by naming military posts in Gaza after Kfir, Ariel, and Shiri, flying large Israeli flags as a statement of territorial progress.
Jordan Bibas’s brief but powerful tribute today underscores the ongoing pain and the deep personal toll of the war, highlighting the enduring grief of those who survive such tragedies while losing their entire world.
