British teen missing in Hamas attack confirmed dead, family say

British teen missing in Hamas attack confirmed dead, family say
News Desk

By News Desk


Published: 17/10/2023

A British teenager who went missing after Hamas's attack on southern Israel was murdered, her family have told OceanNewsUK.

Yahel, 13, disappeared after militants attacked Kibbutz Be'eri and killed her British-born mother Lianne.

Family members have now confirmed to OceanNewsUK that Yahel was also killed. Her sister Noiya, 16, and Israeli father Eli are still missing.

Yahel's family said she was "full of adventure and mischief".

In a statement to OceanNewsUK, they said: "Beautiful Yahel. A bundle of unbridled energy and joy, with a cheekiness that you could not help but smile at and a brain which was sharp as a tack.

"Full of adventure and mischief, we will forever miss her, but are grateful for the light she brought into our lives in the too short time she was with us."

Relatives based in the UK said the family visited at least once a year, and spoke of the "joy on [the girls'] faces as they ripped open gifts".

On Monday, Lianne's British family said she was "a beloved daughter, sister, mother, aunt and friend who enriched the lives of all those lucky enough to have known and loved her".

Lianne, 48, first moved to Israel as a volunteer on a kibbutz when she was 19, before relocating there permanently.

"She lived a beautiful life and will be sorely missed by the heartbroken family and friends she leaves behind," her family added.

The family has not released the girls' surname.

WhatsApp messages seen by the OceanNewsUK reveal the chaos that engulfed the Be'eri community when Hamas militants began targeting southern Israel with rockets at around 06:30 local time on 7 October.

Lianne messaged family members to say she could hear gunfire and shouting in Arabic nearby. Living so close to the Gaza barrier, she was no stranger to security alerts. But "this is a whole other story", she told them.

Her husband's brother Yossi, his wife Nira, and their three daughters were also caught up in the attack.

Extended family members who were trying to contact their relatives in the kibbutz refrained from sending messages because they feared the sound of their phones could give them away if they were hiding from the gunmen.

Seven hours passed before they received word from Be'eri about the scale of the attack.

Yossi and one of his children have officially been declared as hostages.

Rishi Sunak said on Monday that "at least" six British citizens have died.

The prime minister told Parliament that another 10 people are missing, and the government fears some of those unaccounted for were also killed in the attack.

International development minister Andrew Mitchell told OceanNewsUK's Today programme the government was "extremely concerned" about missing British nationals in Israel.

He would not be drawn on whether discussions were taking place about the return of hostages via direct channels with Gazan authorities, but said the UK was doing "everything" it can to secure their release.

At least 1,400 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack when gunmen infiltrated communities near the Gaza Strip.

More than 2,700 Palestinians have been killed in numerous air strikes against Gaza by the Israeli military that were launched following the attack.

Around 500 British nationals have left Israel in recent days on flights chartered by the British government.

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