‘I turn to you, Mr. Trump’: An open letter from the uncle of the youngest hostage

Dear President-elect Donald Trump,

My name is Ofori Bibas Levy. While you may not know me personally, you’ve certainly heard of my brother Yarden Bibas, his wife Shiri, and their two red-headed children, Ariel and Kfir, who have captured the hearts of the world. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu showed a photo of a young Ariel holding a drawing of Batman that read “I am flying to save people trapped in holes” – like he and many Others are still trapped in the cave today.

These children and their parents lived a normal family life – a busy daily life of parents with two young children – until they were taken from us more than a year ago. Hope remains: intelligence confirms that more than half of the 100 hostages still held are alive, but their time is running out rapidly. My family is one of the people we can still save, but only if we act now.

On October 7, 2023, their daily lives were torn apart by violence. Their father Yarden made the heartbreaking choice to be separated from his family in a desperate attempt to protect them, but despite his efforts, his young sons Ariel and Kefir (Kfir) was kidnapped along with their mother Shiri. Footage of their abduction – showing the terrified children clutched tightly in their mother’s arms – became a haunting symbol of Hamas’s brutality. Two months later, Hamas’s brutality reached new depths when they released a psychological warfare video showing them torturing Yaden in captivity, brutally telling him that his wife and children were dead – in an attempt to destroy him spirit.

International Children’s Rights Day was recently celebrated around the world, an observance first initiated 168 years ago by the Rev. Charles Leonard of the Chelsea Ecumenical Church in Massachusetts. On this important day, the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child – a powerful convention that puts the well-being of children above all other considerations. The Declaration commits us all to protect children from torture, exploitation, abuse and neglect.

Kfir Bibas (left) and Ofri Bibas Levy (right) smile together under a tree.

Where is the commitment to these young children? Our shy, cheerful little Ariel is forced to celebrate his fifth birthday in a Hamas tunnel, under the watchful eye of murderous terrorists, far away from the family and friends who love him. For over a year we have suffered from the pain of not understanding what he and his younger cubs were enduring. Kfir, who was kidnapped when he was just 9 months old and has now spent his first birthday in captivity, will soon meet his end at the hands of terrorists this January if we don’t act soon. Second birthday. Time is of the essence – while we know many of the hostages are still alive, their conditions are deteriorating day by day. These innocent men, women and children struggle to survive in horrific conditions, and every moment that drags on is not only painful, but inexcusable.

Kfir Bibas, nine months old. (Courtesy: Take them home now)

Mr. Trump, I turn to you in despair and supplication: Help us where we all fail. Use your unique, uncompromising, creative approach to bring Kfir, Ariel, Shiri and Yarden back to us. Repatriating all 100 hostages from Gaza is not only morally and ethically right, it is our human duty.

After so many months of agony, a deal was finally negotiated. We must seize this opportunity to ensure that all hostages held by Hamas – men, women, elderly and children – are released and reunited with their families. Time is of the essence to push for this deal, and the return of the hostages is a prerequisite for stability in the Middle East. There will be no peace unless we bring them home: the living (more than half of those taken away) are healed and the dead are properly buried.

We are grateful for the efforts of the U.S. government and others over the past year, and we ask President-elect Trump to reach out to us so that Cub and Ariel can celebrate their next birthday with us and their friends at home. Birthday. This is their right and our obligation. Many precious lives could still be saved.