Media personality Yinon Magal published footage Friday of a meeting he held with two relatives of Shiri Bibas, following widespread criticism of his remarks against former hostages and members of bereaved families.
During the meeting, Magal apologized for his comments, but also claimed that his words had been taken out of context as part of an incitement campaign against him.
The meeting was attended by Jimmy Miller and his father, Mauricio, Shiri Bibas's cousin and uncle, who, according to Magal, had requested to meet with him.
During the conversation, Magal asked them to convey his apology to other family members as well.
"Please tell Yarden and Ofri, and all the families, that I had no intention of hurting anyone," he said.
The two men said they accepted his apology.
However, the publication of the meeting prompted an angry response from Ofri Bibas, Yarden Bibas's sister, who clarified that the meeting had taken place without her knowledge and that the two relatives were not authorized to accept an apology on her behalf.
"I am furious. Yinon Magal met with two relatives of Shiri's on her mother's side. Out of respect for them, I will only say this: The apology was not theirs to accept," she said.
Bibas also rejected Magal's claim that his remarks had been taken out of context.
"His remarks were not made in good faith. Nothing was taken out of context. This is part of a deliberate campaign of incitement, division, and venom that has been directed at the families for a long time, and whose sole purpose is to keep in office the person who, to this day, refuses to take responsibility for the greatest failure we have ever experienced."
The controversy began on Tuesday, the eve of the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, during Magal and Ben Caspit's program on 103FM radio.
Magal referred to the book Mr. Abandonment: The Legacy of the Man Who Abandoned the Hostages, published in 2024 at the initiative of the Families Forum for Saving the Hostages. The book included essays and literary works criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the hostage issue.
During the broadcast, Magal read out the names of former hostages and relatives of hostages and murder victims who were associated with the publication, calling them "the most despicable people living in the State of Israel."
He also claimed that they would be "remembered in infamy forever."
Magal attacked those who participated in the campaign against Netanyahu, saying: "Everyone who participated in the campaign accusing him of abandoning the hostages will be remembered in infamy forever, on the wall of shame."
He subsequently described them as "abhorrent people" and claimed that the only way they could earn forgiveness was by voting for Likud in the elections.
Following the remarks, the Second Authority for Television and Radio announced Thursday that it had initiated violation proceedings against radio station 103FM.
The authority determined that the remarks had crossed the boundaries of legitimate criticism and amounted to an abusive attack against the individuals whose names were mentioned during the broadcast.