Two Syrian children and a Palestinian woman, victims of the recent tragedy off Lampedusa, were buried at the burial ground behind the mosque in Paola in a ceremony that is taking place this afternoon.

At least 34 people died in the tragedy but many others were saved by Maltese and Italian forces.

This afternoon’s funeral was for three-year-old girl Shahn Yonus and her five-year-old brother Ali and 25-year-old Qeem Dahshah.

Men prayed the bodies were carried into the packed mosque for the service.

As the service proceeded, tragedy survivors cried as they remembered their experience.

During the service, a man was seen going to his friend and hugging him. He had just learned that his mother had survived the tragedy and was in Sicily.

Imam Mohammed El Sadi said that this tragedy reminded the people of the suffering Syrian people experienced every day.

“It is the duty of the world leaders to bring this atrocity to an end.”

He said he could not understand how certain world leaders could sleep when they saw such atrocities happen and called for action to be taken to address the tragic situation in Syria and Palestine.