A heavy blanket of grief has descended over Israel today as the country has, for the first time, received the bodies of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Hamas says the four dead include three members of the Bibas family – mother Shiri and her young children Kfir and Ariel, who were aged nine months and four years when they were abducted.
According to claims by Hamas, the three Bibas family members were killed in an Israeli strike more than a year ago. Hamas did not provide any evidence.
Israel says it will not confirm the death of the four before forensic testing, reports the BBC.
The group says the fourth body is that of Oded Lifschitz, 84, a veteran peace activist.
Recall that Israel had said four of the Israeli hostages to be released by Hamas as part of the ceasefire deal were dead.
