In the wake of unimaginable loss, Yarden Bibas is channeling his grief into a desperate plea: bringing home his best friend, David Cunio.

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Yarden, who lost his wife, Shiri Bibas, and their two young children, Ariel (4) and Kfir (9 months), to Hamas terrorists, took to Instagram to share his anguish and mission. “Help me bring my best friend back home,” he wrote, alongside a photo of himself and David together with his wife Shiri and David’s wife Aloni.

A Friendship Forged in Childhood, Torn Apart by Terror

Yarden and David’s bond spans decades, they have been best friends dating back to first-grade. David was the best man at Yarden and Shiri’s wedding. Together with their wives, Shiri and Aloni Cunio, they were more than just neighbors in Kibbutz Nir Oz—they were inseparable. The two couples would often go on double dates, sharing laughter, memories, and the simple joys of life.

It was David who played a touching role in one of Yarden’s most cherished moments: when Yarden brought his eldest son, Ariel Bibas, home from school to meet his newborn brother, Kfir, for the first time. The “Welcome Baby” poster that hung on their door in that now-famous video was made by David Cunio.

On October 7, 2023, that life was shattered.

During the Hamas onslaught, David was kidnapped alongside his wife, Aloni Cunio, and their 3-year-old twin daughters, Yuli and Emma. Also taken were Aloni’s sister, Danielle Aloni (44), and her daughter, Emilia (5), who had been visiting for the holiday weekend. David’s brother, Ariel Cunio, and Ariel’s girlfriend, Arbel Yehoud, were also abducted. The terror attack devastated Nir Oz, leaving families torn apart and communities reeling.

For nearly two months, Aloni Cunio and her twin daughters endured captivity in Gaza, separated from David. Finally, on November 27, they were released as part of a temporary ceasefire deal. Just days earlier, on November 24, Danielle Aloni and her daughter Emilia were also freed. But David remained behind.

Now back home, Aloni has spoken publicly about the unbearable pain of his absence.

“I am a broken woman. I just sit around and cry all day, looking at his pictures on my phone and hearing his voice messages,” she said.

While Arbel Yehoud was released in January, she continues to wait for her beloved, Ariel Cunio, David’s brother, who, like David, remains in Hamas captivity.

A Plea for Action

For Yarden, the grief of losing his wife and children is compounded by the absence of his best friend. David was always by his side—now it’s Yarden’s turn to fight for him.

“David was there for me through everything. Now it’s my turn to bring him home.”

As hostage families continue to campaign for their loved ones’ release, Yarden’s message is clear: the fight isn’t over. David, Ariel, and so many others must come home.