Yarden Bibas, kidnapped during the October 7 massacre, arrived Saturday afternoon at the Sheba Medical Center. The staff are prepared to provide Yarden, whose wife Shiri and children Ariel (5) and Kfir (2) are still in Gaza, with appropriate psychological and psychiatric care.

Under the current deal, civilian women were to be released before female IDF soldiers, and all women before men. Living hostages are to be released before those who have died. Shiri Bibas and her children were not released in the November 2023 deal which saw the release of all children held in Gaza and their mothers, and they were also not released in the initial stages of the current deal. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari has expressed "great concern" for their lives.

The Bibas family responded: "Yarden is home. A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months."

"There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice. Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete. Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality.

"At this time, we ask: Protect Yarden, protect his soul. Please respect his privacy and give him the space he needs so that his body and soul can begin to recover. Thank you to our beautiful people. Thank you to our soldiers. Thank you and we're sorry to all those who sacrificed their lives so this day could come.

"We will take a few days to reunite with Yarden, but we continue with hope and the call for the return of Shiri, the children, and all the hostages. Please continue to make their voices heard and emphasize the urgency of their return. Help us echo this now more than ever. For Yarden and for everyone. We won't stop until everyone is home 🧡"

In the helicopter on the way to Sheba Medical Center, Yarden was photographed next to his sister Ofri and his father Eli, holding a sign that read:"I thank the entire nation of Israel for their support and help. I heard from my family that you fought for me, I want to say thank you very much, I appreciate this a lot, it's not something I take for granted."

He also wished his grandfather Yechiel, who celebrated his 90th birthday on Saturday, "Happy birthday, Grandpa!"