Missing Teenage Sisters from the UK Confirmed to Have Been Killed by Hamas
The family of 16-year-old Noiya Sharabi has verified that she passed away, along with her younger sister and mother.
The family of 16-year-old British citizen Noiya Sharabi confirmed to the BBC that she, along with her 13-year-old sister Yahel, and their mother Lianne, were tragically killed in the Hamas attacks on Israel.
Following the October 7 attack, in which they went missing from Kibbutz Be’eri, an Israeli settlement in Southern Israel that was targeted, the girls’ mother lost her life. Yahel’s passing was confirmed last week, while their father Eli and other relatives remain unaccounted for.
Lianne Sharabi, the mother of Noiya and Yahel, originally from Britain, moved to Israel to volunteer at a kibbutz before ultimately deciding to make it her permanent home. Her family would visit her at least once a year. Lianne reportedly sent messages to family members on WhatsApp during the Hamas attacks, expressing that she could hear gunfire and shouting, noting that “this is a whole other story” compared to the usual security alerts she received on the Gaza border.
Her family stated, “She lived a beautiful life and will be sorely missed by the heartbroken family and friends she leaves behind.”
Confirming Noiya’s passing, her family expressed that she was “intelligent, perceptive, enjoyable, and brimming with vitality – her smile brightened up the room like a guiding light.” They praised her as a “talented student” who consistently “seized every opportunity to assist others, especially those less fortunate than her.” They added, “We are devastated by her departure, but forever thankful she was with us.”
Following Yahel’s recent passing, her family conveyed in a statement: “Beautiful Yahel. A bundle of boundless energy and happiness, with a mischievousness that was impossible not to smile at, and a sharp intellect.” They noted her love for cycling, playing football, and creating content on TikTok and YouTube alongside her sister and cousins.
Raz Matalon, Eli’s brother-in-law, urged the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, to visit Israel to show support, similar to the leaders of Germany, France, and the U.S., deeming it “the right thing to do.”
On Monday, Sunak announced that at least six British citizens lost their lives, and a minimum of ten individuals remain unaccounted for due to the Hamas attacks. The British government also arranged flights to evacuate around 500 British nationals from Israel.
