Thousands mourn Shiri Bibas and her sons' funeral

Thousands of Israelis attended the funeral of Shiri Bibas and her two sons, Kfir and Ariel, in Rishon LeZion on February 26, 2025. Their bodies were returned from Gaza last week after being held captive since October 7, 2023. The Bibas family became symbols of Israel's hostage crisis. Their return followed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which had initially caused anger when Shiri's body was not included in the first handover. Yarden Bibas, Shiri's husband, was released earlier this month. The funeral procession drew large crowds, with mourners lighting candles and expressing their grief along the route to the family's kibbutz, Nir Oz.