Outpouring of grief in Israel at funeral of mother and children killed in Gaza

Thousands of Israelis lined the route of a funeral procession yesterday for two small children and their mother who were held hostage and died in captivity in Gaza.

- Julian Borger

The national outpouring of grief for Ariel, Kfir and Shiri Bibas came amid reports that a deal had been reached to resume the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, with the handover of more bodies of hostages in return for the release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails due to take place late yesterday.

Israeli officials told reporters they expected four bodies to be handed over at 11pm but Israel would only release Palestinian prisoners once the bodies had been identified.

The bodies of the Bibases were handed over last week by Hamas, who claimed they had been killed by airstrikes. An Israeli autopsy report ruled the children had been murdered by their captors and then mutilated to simulate wounds from bombing.