Hamas is set to hand over the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, including those of the Bibas family, who have become symbols of the ordeal that has gripped Israel since the Gaza war began.
The transfer of the bodies is the first by Hamas since its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war, and is taking place under a fragile ceasefire that has seen living hostages exchanged for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The return of the bodies of Shiri Bibas, her two young boys -- Kfir and Ariel -- and a fourth captive, Oded Lifshitz, 83 at the time of his capture, would take place in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
Ahead of the transfer hundreds of people gathered around a sandy lot formerly used as a cemetery.
A fence had been erected to keep onlookers away from the immediate area where the handover to the Red Cross was to occur.
The repatriation of their bodies is part of the first six-week phase of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on January 19 after more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza.
Under the ceasefire's first phase, 19 Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas so far in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners in a series of Red Cross-mediated swaps. Of the remaining 14 Gaza hostages eligible for release under phase one, Israel says eight are dead.
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