Hamas hostage 'may not know wife and daughters are dead'

Yahel, left, wearing a white dress with mother Lianne, wearing black in the centre, and sister Noiya in a purple summer dress. They are all smiling while stood outside with a garden with tables and chairs in the background.Image source, Family handout
Image caption,

Lianne Sharabi was found huddled with her daughters Yahel (L) and Noiya (R) ,"trying to protect them until the end"

  • Published

A British couple whose daughter and two granddaughters were killed by Hamas have no idea whether their son-in-law, who was taken hostage, knows his family is dead.

Gill and Pete Brisley, who are from Bristol but now live in Bridgend, Wales, are facing an agonising wait for Eli Sharabi's release following the ceasefire deal which came into force on 19 January.

Their daughter Lianne Sharabi, 48, and granddaughters Yahel,13, and Noiya 16 were killed in the 7 October attacks.

The Bristol couple said life had been "sheer hell" since their family's deaths.

The couple said Lianne was found huddled in her home with her daughters, "trying to protect them until the end".

Lianne's last words were a text to one of her brothers, saying: "There are terrorists on the Kibbutz, I've never been so scared in my life and they are shouting 'die Israel'."

Lianne, who was raised in Staple Hill, Bristol, travelled to Israel at the age of 19 and settled there when she met her husband.

A family of four sit in front of a swimming pool. The man holds a young girl on his lap, an older girl sit next to him, with his wife on the right of the picture leaning in.
Image caption,

Eli Sharabi may not know his wife and daughters are dead

Mr Brisley said: "After the murders of our three girls, we assumed probably that Eli was dead as well, but not been identified yet.

"It was three or four weeks after it was confirmed he was in fact a hostage in Gaza -all we know is that he was taken alive but beyond that we know nothing."

He continued: "I don't know whether he knows his wife and daughters are dead.

"His brother is worried that if Eli comes out, when he meets him he has got to tell him - he's got that on his shoulders."

Another of Eli's brothers was also taken hostage but died while still being held captive by Hamas in January last year.

Eli is among a list of 33 hostages due to be released in the next stage of the ceasefire deal.

However, that does not guarantee he is still alive, with 34 of the 91 hostages still held by Hamas presumed dead.

Mrs Brisley said they "knew nothing" of what Eli had been through, adding: "To tell you the truth when we see Eli, I don't know if I will ask him.

"The people who have been released, they will never be the same people again."

An older lady with short white hair, glass and a pink top with spots sits next to her husband on a sofa. She is holding his arm. The man has close cropped hair, and is wearing a green, cream and navy striped jumper.
Image caption,

Gill and Peter Brisley say life has been "sheer hell" since the deaths of their daughter and granddaughters

Her husband added that those who have been released will not speak about their ordeal until all hostages have been freed.

"They are scared for the people they have left behind," Mr Brisley said.

"It's only when all those hostages are out that the true experience of those hostages will be made public."

The couple were unable to go to the funerals of their daughter and granddaughters due to the widespread cancellation of international flights in the aftermath of the attacks.

But they were able to attend the Jewish ceremony that accompanies the laying of the headstones in 23 November.

"We went half an hour before just to have some quiet time," Mrs Brisley said.

The couple went again in February when they had the devastating task of clearing Lianne and Eli's family home and deciding which mementos to keep.

The black and white photographs of three women are displayed in three separate photo frames on a mantle piece. The first shows a teenage girl with dark curly hair, the second shows an older woman with her hair in a pony tail and the third shows a girl with long, straight hair.
Image caption,

Noiya (L), Lianne and Yahel (R) Sharabi's house was one of the nearest to the fence where the Hamas soldiers came in

Mrs Brisley said: "People say 'we are so brave', this is the public face. They don't see when we have a meltdown - when we can't stop crying."

They have both struggled to sleep since losing Lianne, Yahel and Noiya, she said.

"You can go to bed and go to sleep and something wakes you up and your mind starts whirring, you think about everything, you think about Eli, you think about friends you have lost in Israel, it's very difficult to get back to sleep again so we sit and play cards," she said.

Mrs Brisley said her message to anyone reading about her family would be "put your arms around" your loved ones.

"Tell them how much you love them, hug your kids, assure them that you are so proud of them and you will always be there for them," she said.

"Make time for them, make memories, take photos - because if the inconceivable happens, memories are all you have left."

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