Shiri Bibas, an Israeli woman, and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, were said to be among those returned. A senior U.N. official called the Hamas display “abhorrent and cruel.”

Hamas says it will release the next group of three Israeli hostages as planned. That would pave the way toward resolving a major dispute over the ceasefire in the Gaza

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