Nathanel Young: Sister's grief and anger as 'hero' Israeli soldier dies protecting kibbutz

The sister of a young Israeli soldier said she spoke to her brother on the day he was killed in a Hamas attack, and felt grief and anger following his death.

Nathanel Young was a fun-loving 20-year-old who simply "wanted to do some good in the world", his sister Gaby told ITV News.

The Londoner died protecting a kibbutz close to the Gaza border after Hamas launched its attack. Gaby said she was proud of him for saving "many, many lives".

"We are still trying to piece together the details but we know on the morning of the 7th October Hamas terrorists tried to infiltrate a kibbutz that his base was near," Gaby told ITV News.

"He and his comrades managed to protect that kibbutz from being infiltrated by terrorists.

"We are still trying to piece together all the details, many of his friends and comrades didn’t survive so it’s hard to get the information.

"But we understand that he and his comrades, because they were there, managed to protect the kibbutz.

"And thanks to them many of the lives that unfortunately in other kibbutzim were lost, were saved.

"I do believe he died a hero. I’m very proud of him and he saved many, many civilians lives," Gaby explained.

According to the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) Nathanel, who grew up in north London, was serving in the 13th Battalion. He lived near Tel Aviv.

His sister said he was a typical 20-year-old who loved music and went out of his way to make people smile.

They spoke on the day he died after she rushed to a shelter with her two young children.

Gaby added: "As we were diving for cover into our shelter he gave me a call to check we were OK not knowing what was going to happen next.

"So if you can even imagine that happening and then all the worry of what happened afterwards.

"I lost touch with my brother, I didn’t know where he was.

"I was trying to find out where he was and then finding out through the news that Hamas terrorists have infiltrated Israel and were intentionally killing civilians.

"Not being able to get in touch with my 20-year-old brother was extremely painful and much more petrifying that missiles flying overhead in our home in Tel Aviv.

"I didn’t find out until 1am that night.

"There were many casualties that day both soldiers and civilians and it took time for even reservist soldiers to try to piece together what was going on and notify family members.

"The sheer mass of casualties that day with thousands of people dead or missing slowed down the whole process of me finding out what even happened.

"Me being the optimist I was assumed maybe he just turned his phone off and being a 20-year-old Gen Z he just wasn’t answering the phone!"

Gaby found out her brother died after the Israeli Defence Force came to her home to tell her the devastating news.

She said she couldn't believe someone with such a love of life and so many hopes and dreams to become a DJ had been taken away.

Family from London came to Nathanel's funeral as bombs continued to fall in the distance.

"An air raid siren happened during his funeral," Gaby continued.

"I have family from London who came to the funeral and during my eulogy right in the middle an air raid siren went off and everyone had to get on the floor.

"People who have never experienced something like that ever in their lives had to lay on the ground in a cemetery with their hands on their heads praying for their lives.

"And we heard them explode close by," she said.

Nathanel's family said they had received a huge amount of support from the UK and international community.

They said their hearts were with thousands of other families who also suffered losses in the conflict.

Gaby added: "The pain is not only from losing my brother but it’s also from losing more than a thousand others who really just went to a party to have fun or just sleeping in bed with their family.

"To imagine losing my 20-year-old brother is extremely hard to take in.

"My family and I have been finding it really hard to take it in.

"We buried my brother just over a week ago and it was one of the first graves and we went there yesterday and it’s now full.

"Where people were standing to honour him is now full of graves of other young sons,  brothers and sisters."

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