Tens of thousands of Israelis have lined highways holding flags, orange balloons and signs saying “forgive us” in an outpouring of grief as the bodies of a mother and her two small sons who were killed in captivity in the Gaza Strip were taken for burial.

Hamas has handed over the bodies of four hostages in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of their ceasefire will end.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed revenge for what he described as a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Hamas handed over the remains of four more Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The bodies of the youngest Israelis held hostage by the militant Hamas group have been returned to Israel, dashing the hopes of a nation hoping for a happier ending.

The Israeli military says the remains of two child hostages have been identified but another body released by Hamas was not the boys’ mother.

An Israeli official says the bodies of the youngest and one of the oldest captives seized by Hamas during the attack that ignited the war in Gaza are expected to be returned on Thursday.

After nearly 500 days in captivity in Gaza, with little access to media, recently freed hostages have many questions.

Hamas has named the next three Israeli hostages it plans to release as part of the ceasefire deal.

Even in war, branding applies.

Hamas has freed three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip and Israel has released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The ceasefire in Gaza has seen its smoothest exchange yet of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners along with the reopening of the crucial Rafah crossing.

News that three high-profile hostages are expected to be released has brought excitement and trepidation to Israel on Friday.

The Israeli organization representing families of hostages in Gaza has celebrated the news that three high-profile men will be released next.

As winter deepens, so does the suffering of dozens of hostages in Gaza, and their families are pressing for a ceasefire that will secure their release.

Hundreds of Israelis have sent orange balloons into the air to mark the fifth birthday of one of two children held captive by militants in the Gaza Strip.

Hundreds of people gathered in Tel Aviv to mark the first birthday of Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli hostage held in Gaza.