British family's harrowing final messages before being kidnapped by Hamas

“This is a whole other story... we need to stay quiet,” were some of the final messages a British-Israeli family sent their loved ones as Hamas attacked their home.

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, who had been sending WhatsApp messages to her family back in Britain, had been killed by the proscribed terror group. Her daughter Yahel was also murdered by Hamas, her family confirmed in a statement given to ITV News on Tuesday.

"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."

The whereabouts of Yahel's sister Noiya, 16, as well the teenagers' father Eli, 51, is still unknown but it is presumed they have both been taken hostage and are now in Gaza.

At 6.30am on Saturday, October 7, Hamas launched their attack on the Israeli village Kibbutz Be’eri, where the Sharabi family was living.

As sirens went off, alerting them to an onslaught of rockets, Lianne told her family WhatsApp group chat she could hear gun fire and shouting in Arabic.

The last communication from the family in Be’eri was received at around 12:30pm.

Hamas had broken into their home, shouting in Arabic and laughing loudly, the teenager's aunt Nira said after the ordeal.

She added the terrorists fought to open the door of the safe room, where the family were hiding, before taking them hostage and setting fire to their home.

Family members in Britain said: "Our Lianne was the light of our family’s life. She had a wonderful caring nature.

"She (Lianne) was a wonderful mother to Noiya and Yahel and a great support for Eli. Her love for her parents and the rest of the family here was always apparent.

"We will miss our girl to the end of our days and keep her in our hearts forever, tucked away with the fondest memories of her 48 years. Goodnight, sleep tight sweetheart."

While the Sharabi family faced their attackers, Hamas massacred villagers in the Be'eir kibbutz, including eight-year-old Emily Hand.

"They just said we found Emily, she's dead and I went, 'yes'. I went, 'yes' and smiled because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew," her father Thomas later told CNN.

He said: "She'd be in a dark room filled with Christ knows how many people and terrified every minute, hour, day and possible years to come. So, death was a blessing, an absolute blessing."

'Death was a blessing' says a father when he learnt his daughter was killed by Hamas, while ITV News' John Ray speaks to another father in Tel Aviv who does not know the fate of his missing daughter

Since Saturday's incursion, Yahel and Lianne have been confirmed dead, Yossi has been confirmed as a hostage and Noiya and Eli are missing.

Lianne, the sisters and Eli visited the UK at least once a year, particularly at Christmas to enjoy the "British festive season", which they loved, their family said.

They told ITV News: "The joy on their faces as they ripped open gifts was wonderful.

"They also visited at other times of year on occasion, including at Easter and very much enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt in the back garden."

Between 200 and 255 people have been taken hostage by Hamas, the militant group claims.

Two men from London also died in Hamas' attack - Nathanel Young and Jake Marlowe who attended Jewish Free School, were both killed, their families confirmed.

ITV News understands 17 British nationals are feared dead or missing following the Hamas' terror attack on October 7.

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