Thousands in Ashkelon take part in funeral of murdered hostage Alex Lobanov

Thousands of people show up at the New Cemetery in Ashkelon for the funeral of Alex Lobanov, one of the six hostages murdered by Hamas several days ago whose bodies were recovered from Gaza by the IDF overnight Saturday-Sunday.

Droves of mourners walk toward the cemetery amid a sea of Israeli flags.

Hundreds of people are crammed inside the eulogy hall in the cemetery including numerous reporters, as the funeral gets underway.

Lobanov, 32, was the head barman at the Supernova desert party where Hamas terrorists slaughtered hundreds of revelers in the early hours of the October 7 massacre.

Alex’s wife Michal gave birth to the couple’s second child while he was being held hostage in Gaza.

Mourners at the New Cemetery in Ashkelon for the funeral of Alex Lobanov, one of the six hostages murdered by Hamas whose bodies were recovered, September 1, 2024 (Jeremy Sharon)