Thousands of mourners, carrying flags and orange balloons, gathered Wednesday for the funeral procession of Shiri Bibas and her sons, who were killed in Gaza captivity and had become symbols of Israel’s hostage ordeal.

The bodies of Shiri Bibas and her children – Kfir and Ariel – were returned to Israel last week by Hamas as part of the ongoing ceasefire that has halted the more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza.

Israel’s national anthem was played as the black vehicle convoy passed through the crowd of mourners in the central city of Rishon LeZion, where the remains of the three hostages had been prepared for burial.

Thousands of people lined the route to kibbutz Nir Oz, where the Bibas family lived before their abduction by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023, and where their burial was set to take place later.

‘I think if I stop to think about it for more than a split second, I feel so sickened, so sickened,’ said Simi Polonasky, 38, who travelled from Miami to support hostage families.

‘It’s not a regular situation: if you’re not feeling numb, you’re feeling so shattered and broken that it almost feels hard to continue,’ she told AFP, starting to weep as she spoke.

Dozens of people lit candles at the roadside.

‘We’re here to give a hug and receive a hug, to be strengthened and to give as much strength as possible,’ said Mottel Gestetner, 41, who travelled from Australia.

Mourners gather around the convoy carrying the coffins of slain hostages Shiri Bibas and her two children, Ariel and Kfir, during their funeral procession in Rishon Lezion, Israel, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025

The bodies of Shiri Bibas and her children, Kfir and Ariel, (all pictured) were returned to Israel last week by Hamas

Israelis reacts during a funeral procession for Shiri, 32, and her two children Kfir, 9 months old, and Ariel, 4, of the Bibas family, who were kidnapped from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and then killed in Gaza, in Rishon Le’Zion, Israel February 26, 2025

An Israeli woman reacts during a funeral procession for Shiri, 32, and her two children Kfir, 9 months old, and Ariel, 4, of the Bibas family, who were kidnapped from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and then killed in Gaza, in Rishon Le’Zion, Israel February 26, 2025

Dozens of people lit candles at the roadside during the procession

Shiri Bibas and her two children were taken from their kibbutz by Palestinian militants during their unprecedented attack on Israel

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Israeli hostage kisses his Hamas captive on the head as he and two other prisoners are freed

Shiri Bibas and her two children were taken from their kibbutz by Palestinian militants during their unprecedented attack on Israel.

Her husband, Yarden Bibas, was also abducted but was released alive earlier this month in a hostage-prisoner exchange with Palestinian militant group Hamas.

‘From the window (of the car) today, I see a broken country. We won’t be able to get up or to heal until the last of the hostages is back home. Thank you everyone,’ his sister Ofri Bibas said on her Facebook page.

The remains of the three Bibas family members were among the first to be returned under the truce deal.

The handover sparked anger in Israel when the remains of Shiri Bibas were not initially returned, prompting Hamas to admit a possible ‘mix-up of bodies’ and finally hand over hers.

Yarden Bibas and his sister-in-law said in a statement last week that while the funeral would ‘only be for members of the family and close friends’, they wanted to let ‘whoever wishes to pay their respects and be a part of this moment to do so’.

Crowds of people were expected to line up along the route from Risho LeZion to Nir Oz as the funeral procession heads to the kibbutz.

Hamas has long insisted that an Israeli air strike killed Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas early in the war, but an Israeli autopsy said there was no evidence of injuries caused by a bombing.

Since their abduction Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Ariel who was then aged four, and Kfir, then only nine months, had become symbols of Israel’s hostage ordeal.

In unprecedented scenes, Omer Shem Tov, 22, was seen planting a kiss on the head of a gun-wielding masked terrorist at the baroque ceremony

Relatives and friends of Eliya Cohen, 27, celebrate as they watch the TV broadcast of his release by Palestinian militants in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday Feb. 22, 2025

Hostages who were released from captivity in Gaza, as part of hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, sit inside a helicopter in Reim, Israel February 22, 2025

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Hamas blasts Israel for delaying release of Palestinian prisoners following hostage release parade

The funeral procession comes days after a traumatised Israeli hostage was seen kissing a Hamas fighter on the head as he and two other prisoners were handed over in an emotionally charged ceremony.  

In unprecedented scenes, Omer Shem Tov, 22, was seen planting a kiss on the head of a gun-wielding masked terrorist at the baroque ceremony in Nuseirat, central Gaza, as he stood by fellow hostages Eliya Cohen, 27, and Omer Wenkert, 23. 

All three, who were seen laughing, smiling and waving at the gathered crowd, were abducted from the Nova festival during Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack. Cheers were heard in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square as thousands watched a livestream of the ceremony. 

They are now in the IDF’s hands, and are now back in Israel.  

Omer Shem Tov’s father, Malki Shem Tov, told Israeli broadcasters that the family’s mission of getting him home was finally complete ‘after 505 days of worry, fear and longing.’ 

Omer’s grandmother, Sara, told Channel 12 that it wasn’t out of character to be so jovial: ‘That’s Omer. He gets on with everyone. Even Hamas… They love him even there.’