Seventeen British nationals feared dead or missing in Israel, ITV News understands
British families agonise over their loved ones caught in the fighting, with many citizens confirmed dead in Israel, Sejal Karia reports
A total of 17 British citizens are feared dead or missing after Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel, ITV News understands.
A spokesperson for the prime minister confirmed on Thursday that at least nine British nationals are now known to have died, while a further seven are missing.
Proscribed terror group Hamas is believed to have taken more than 200 hostages of multiple nationalities.
Five British men -Yonatan Rapoport, Nathanel Young, Jake Marlowe, Bernard Cowan and Dan Darlington - have been confirmed dead by their families.
Mother and daughter Lianne and 13-year-old Yahel Sharabi were also both killed.
Yonatan Rapoport
Yonatan Rapoport died when Hamas militants attacked Kibbutz Be'eri in southern Israel, the PA news agency understands.
Mr Rapoport, known as Yoni, had two children, Yosefi and Aluma, and, as a Manchester United fan, had planned to take his son to Old Trafford next month for his first game, the BBC reported.
The Sharabi family
The Sharabi family - mother Lianne Sharabi, a British citizen, father Eli, 51, and their teenage daughters Yahel, 13 and Noiya, 16 - were snatched from Kibbutz Be'eri.
A week later it was confirmed mother Lianne had been killed by the proscribed terror group.
Her daughter Yahel was also murdered by Hamas, her family, who live in Britain, confirmed in a statement given to ITV News.
"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," her family, living in Britain, said.
They added: "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.
"We will never know what she could become - a vet, an entertainer, a naturalist, maybe even the first Israeli woman in space. All we know is there is a Yahel-shaped hole in our lives that can never be filled."
Jake Marlowe
Jake Marlowe, 26, who went to JFS Jewish school in Kenton, north London, died after providing security at a music festival by the Gaza border, which was attacked by Hamas.
"We are heartbroken to have to inform you the crushing news that our son Jake has been confirmed dead in Southern Israel," his mother said on Facebook.
She added: "Repatriation plans are being put in to place, more information will follow. Please respect our privacy at this most devastating time.
His mother told the Jewish News the last message she got from her son was one saying he loved her.
"He was doing security at this rave yesterday and called me at 4.30am to say all these rockets were flying over," she said.
"Then, at about 5.30am, he texted to say, 'Signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you', and that he loves me."
Nathanel Young
Nathanel Young, 20, was serving in the Israeli army when he was killed in the surprise attack by Palestinian militants.
The former pupil at the same school as Mr Marlowe had been living in the Bayit Shel Benji lone-soldier house in Raanana, according to the Jewish News.
Mr Young's brother, Eliot Young, said in a statement released to the BBC: "Nathanel was full of life and the life of the party. He loved his family and friends and was loved by everyone.
"He loved music and was a talented DJ, DJing both on base and at Benji’s House, the lone-soldier house where he was living."
Bernard Cowan
Bernard Cowan, a 57-year-old man born in Scotland, was confirmed by his siblings to have been killed.
"Yesterday my dear brother Bernard was shot dead murdered by Hamas," his sister Laura Cowan wrote on Facebook.
The family said in a statement that they request privacy at this time while they process "this huge loss to our family, both at home and in Israel, and to the Jewish community in Glasgow where he will be sorely missed".
Dan Darlington
A British photographer, Dan Darlington, alongside his German friend Carolin Bohl, have been confirmed dead.
Mr Darlington's sister, Shelley Darlington, shared a statement to Instagram and wrote: "My baby brother, Dan, was murdered by terrorists on Saturday morning on our kibbutz, Nir Oz, alongside his beautiful friend Carolin.
"Only days before he was riding his bike, laughing, taking photos of sunsets and enjoying life's simple pleasures in our beautiful kibbutz.
"He was meant to leave for Tel Aviv the night before but decided to stay one more day to explore the kibbutz with his friend - a decision that has irrevocably changed all our lives forever, and one that cost him his life.
"At this stage, we do not have concrete details or any official information on what exactly happened to them both. Our community has been destroyed.
"My family are in contact with the embassy and Israeli officials to try to recover his body and bring him home to the UK."
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