Bibas family funerals: Israelis pay last respects to hostage mother and sons killed in Gaza

In a display of deep public grief, thousands lined roads of southern Israel for the funeral procession of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

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Israeli TV channels carried a live feed of the scenes and - after a private burial - the public eulogies by relatives, with crowds gathering to watch on large screens in Tel Aviv's Hostages' Square.

"This trio settled in my heart, and I believe in all of our hearts," a woman called Neta told Channel 12. She said she had come from the north to pay her final respects to the Bibas family at the procession.

"I set out this morning at 04:30. I saw that I couldn't fall asleep, so I headed south. I wanted to come here to be as close as possible to the Gaza border communities, to be part of this farewell."

Kfir, aged nine months, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was the youngest of the 251 hostages snatched in the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks. His brother, Ariel, was just four.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg178g4nrwo

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