Yarden Bibas: Thank you to everyone who cared, prayed, and helped me and my family

A day after receiving news of the return of his wife Shiri Bibas's body, and after the return of his children Kfir and Ariel's bodies, who were brutally murdered in captivity in the Gaza Strip, Yarden Bibas, who was released from Hamas captivity last month, made his first public statement.

In a post in the Facebook group 'Damaged Dad', Yarden wrote: "This group is more than just another regular Facebook group, it's a group of good people who are willing to help in any way possible."

Yarden wanted to thank the people of Israel: "Thank you very much to each and every one of you who cared, prayed and helped my family and me, I deeply appreciate it and it's not taken for granted."

Meanwhile, the Bibas family released a statement after the IDF's announcement about the return of Shiri's body, which said: "Tonight our Shiri was returned home. After the identification process at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, we received this morning the news we feared - our Shiri was murdered in captivity and has now returned home to her sons, husband, sister and all her family to rest.

"Despite our fears about their fate, we continued to hope that we would get to hug them, and now we are in pain and broken. For 16 months we sought certainty, and now there is no comfort in it, but we hope it's the beginning of closure.

"Shiri was a wonderful mother to Ariel and Kfir, a loving partner to Yarden, a devoted sister and aunt, and an amazing friend.

"In this difficult hour, we continue to demand and call for the immediate return of the remaining hostages still in captivity. There is no more important goal. There will be no rehabilitation without them.

"Details of the shiva and funeral will be published later. Please give the family space to process and mourn. Thank you all for the support and love during these 16 months. We wish Shiri could have seen this."