Thousands of people in Israel have turned out for demonstrations in the wake of the handover of four bodies of Israelis abducted by Islamists in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands came to downtown Tel Aviv on Thursday evening, several Israeli media outlets reported.
The forum of hostage families had called for one of the large gatherings in the city. “Together we will carry the pain and the memories,” the forum said in advance.
Many people came with orange balloons to commemorate the two red-haired toddlers who, according to Hamas, were among the dead.
Forensic experts are still checking the identity of three bodies, which are said to be those of the two children and their mother, all three of whom also have German citizenship.
The Israeli government has already confirmed the identity of a man whose body was also handed over by Islamists in the Gaza Strip this morning.
The mother of a man killed on 7 October, whose body was taken to the Gaza Strip by terrorists at the time, also remembered the children and their mother in a speech.
Participants in the rallies in Tel Aviv also demanded the immediate release of all remaining hostages. At present, 69 abductees are still being held in the Gaza Strip, including more than 30 bodies of deceased hostages.
