Two British teenage sisters, Noiya (13) and Yahel (16), are among the missing after the recent Hamas attack on Israel. Their family believes they were kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri and taken into Gaza. Tragically, their mother, Lianne, a British national born in Bristol, was confirmed dead in the October 7 attack. The family has not disclosed the girls’ surname.
The news came as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that six British citizens were killed, and 10 are missing. Urging the immediate release of 199 hostages, Sunak highlighted the gravity of the situation.
Nathanel Young, a British man serving in the Israeli army, was among those killed by Hamas gunmen. In an emotional interview, his brother Eliot remembered Nathanel as someone who “just wanted to keep his people safe.” Eliot described the funeral, disrupted by air raid sirens, as a traumatic experience for his family.
Despite the ongoing conflict, efforts to open the Rafah crossing for evacuations and humanitarian aid faced significant delays. The UN cited the challenges posed by the war as a hindrance to progress.
In another development, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner of the Israeli Defence Forces claimed that Palestinians in Gaza have sufficient food and shelter. He accused Hamas of stealing medical equipment and fuel from a UN compound, though these allegations were later contradicted and clarified.
As tensions persist, Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, fired rockets towards Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, citing Israeli forces’ alleged targeting of civilians as the motive. The situation remains tense as international efforts are underway to address the escalating crisis.
