In a significant move, Israel has announced that it is delaying the release of Palestinians until it is given assurances that the next of Israeli hostages to be released are done without subjecting them to any humiliating ceremonies.
Israel was struck with sorrow on Friday as Hamas returned the corpses of the youngest hostages - the Bibas brothers, Ariel Bibas (4-year-old) and Kfir Bibas (10 months old).
In a major shocker, Israel on Friday said, citing forensic reports that the Bibas brothers, whose corpses were returned by Hamas, were killed with "bare hands" by Hamas days after they were held captive in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday mourned the deaths of four-year-old Ariel Bibas, his one-year-old brother Kfir, and 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz, whose bodies were returned by Hamas on Thursday.