The Israel Defense Forces, IDF, held a solemn military ceremony in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday to honor the four slain Israeli hostages whose bodies were returned by Hamas.
The ceremony, led by IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Karim, included the recitation of Psalm 83 as IDF troops stood at attention and saluted.
The coffins, draped in Israeli flags, were carried by officers of the Nahal Brigade before being loaded into military vehicles for transportation back to Israel for identification.
Following the ceremony, the bodies were taken to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in central Israel, where officials will conduct formal identification procedures.
The IDF released photos from the ceremony, showing troops carrying the flag-draped coffins. However, further footage will only be made public pending approval from the families of the hostages.