Up to 17 British citizens, including several children, are missing and may have been killed in Hamas’ surprise attack in Israel over the weekend, an unnamed government official has revealed.
The shocking revelation to the BBC came after Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Tuesday that a “significant number” of British-Israeli dual nationals had been caught up in the fighting.
Two British men have already been among the hundreds of civilians slaughtered by Hamas terrorists. One of them, 20-year-old Nathanel Young, served in the Israeli army.
British-born woman Savion Kiper, 30, was also confirmed dead after the Palestinian militant group opened fire on crowds in the Negev desert on Saturday. Her fiancé Dor Shafir is still missing.
One of the Britons killed by the terrorists was Glasgow native Bernard Cowen, 57, who lived in Israel with his wife and two children. Family members identified him on Sunday as having been “murdered in cold blood in his home” by Hamas terrorists.
Although more than 1,000 Israelis were killed or taken hostage, scores of foreigners were also implicated in the brutal attacks.
Miryam Shafir, 55, with her son Dor Shafir and his fiancée Savion Hen Kiper (center, whose death was confirmed) at a bowling alley
Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, of London, was a 13th Battalion soldier living in Tel Aviv who was killed by Hamas
Glaswegian Bernard Cohen (aka Cowan) was killed by Hamas in Israel on Saturday
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Tuesday that a “significant number” of British-Israeli dual nationals had been caught up in the fighting
Many of the missing foreigners were at an electronic music festival in the southern Israeli desert where scores of revelers were killed.
26-year-old Briton Jake Marlowe was among 260 civilians massacred at the Nova festival. Marlowe, who attended the same London school as Young, left frantic messages to friends while ensuring security at the festival near the Gaza border.
His mother told the Jewish News on Sunday that the last message she received from her son was that he loved her.
She said: “He was in charge of security at this rave yesterday and called me at 4.30am to say there were all these rockets flying over us.”
“Then around 5:30 a.m. he texted me saying, ‘Signal very bad, everything is fine, I’ll keep you updated, I promise you,’ and that he loves me.”
Marlowe’s devastated family said they had not heard from him since Saturday morning.
He had moved to Israel two years ago and lived in the city of Ma’alot in northern Israel.
He is believed to have been working as a security guard at a music festival in Kibbutz Re’im, a suburb of the town of Okafim, about five kilometers from the Gaza border.
Another British victim, photographer Dan Darlington, is also presumed dead after a relative of his German girlfriend Carolin Bohl, who was also missing, received information from a man working at the kibbutz that the couple’s bodies had been identified.
According to Carolin Bohl’s brother-in-law Sam Pasquesi, the couple was last heard from while hiding in a bunker in Nir Or, a kibbutz in southern Israel.
Heartbreaking photos on Instagram show the couple laughing together shortly before they disappeared during the deadly attack on Israel.
The first British victim to be identified was Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, from London, who was killed on Saturday while serving in the Israel Defense Forces’ 13th Battalion.
The former student of the JFS Jewish School in Kenton, north London, lived in the home of lone soldier Bayit Shel Benji in Raanana, according to Jewish News.
Mr Young’s family said in a statement that he was “full of life and the life of the party”.
They added: “He loved his family and friends and was loved by everyone.” He loved music and was a talented DJ.
“Always willing to do anything for his loved ones – a great uncle and brother.” He was so happy and successful in Israel. He loved the country.’
Eliot Young, his brother, told Sky News: “Nathanel always had strong Jewish pride. “From a young age he always wanted to play an important role in the defense of his country – he talked about that a lot.”
Jack Marlowe was last seen trying to save Revelers from the murderers. He remained missing last night
Mr Marlowe, who attended the same London school as Mr Young, left frantic messages to friends while providing security at the Supernova music festival
Jake Marlowe, 26, is among those missing after he worked as a security guard at a music festival that was attacked by Hamas terrorists
Family and friends also believe photographer Dan Darlington (left) is dead after the family of his German girlfriend, who was also missing, received information from a man working at the kibbutz that the couple’s bodies had been identified
Thailand has suffered one of the worst losses, with 20 citizens killed, 13 wounded and 14 suspected of kidnapping, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
According to the government, there are about 30,000 Thais in Israel, most of whom work in the agricultural sector.
According to the State Department, more than 5,000 people have requested repatriation.
US President Joe Biden said at the White House that “at least 14 American citizens have been killed” and “we now know that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas.”
Ten Nepali citizens were killed in Kibbutz Alumim, one of the hotspots of the Hamas attack, the Himalayan Republic’s embassy in Tel Aviv said on Sunday.
Four other people were being treated in hospital while a search was underway for a fifth person, the embassy added.
Kibbutz Alumim was housing 17 students at the time of the attack.
Eight French nationals were killed, the French government said on Tuesday, warning that the death toll was likely to rise.
Twenty people remained missing and some of them were most likely kidnapped, it said.
Argentina’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that seven of the country’s nationals were killed and 15 others were missing.
At least four Russian Israelis were killed, the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv said.
It said there was no information about any hostages, but six Russian nationals were missing.
Three Israelis of Chilean origin are dead and one is missing.
Germany, Ireland, Ukraine, Canada, Cambodia, Mexico, Colombia, Austria, Italy, Paraguay, Sri Lanka and Tanzania have also reported the death or missingness of their citizens.
Several German-Israeli dual nationals were kidnapped at the Nova festival on Saturday, a source at the German Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.
The mother of 22-year-old tattoo artist Shani Louk, whose disappearance attracted widespread media attention, told the Der Spiegel news agency that she recognized her daughter in videos circulating online showing a woman in the back of a pickup truck in Gaza full of armed men.
Ricarda Louk told Spiegel that her daughter was at a music festival near Gaza.