Host Yinon Magal Met Secretly With Bibas Family Relatives, Sister Claims

In a video documenting the meeting, which he described as long, painful, and good, Magal expressed deep regret and apologized to Yarden Bibas, Ofri, and the rest of the family. He explained that his original comments were part of a discussion about a campaign against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and were not intended to target the Bibas family, who are held hostage by Hamas. Magal stated that his words got out of control and became focused on the family during the broadcast.

Magal claimed his remarks were taken out of context and distorted amid what he described as a hate campaign by Ben Caspit and a smear campaign against him. He admitted to making a mistake by not clarifying his position immediately after the broadcast, noting that his subsequent clarification was not widely reported by the media. The apology also follows a separate legal warning letter sent to Magal by journalist Ronen Bergman regarding a broadcast issue.