A British lawyer has described the agony of watching disturbing Hamas propaganda films as he searches for evidence that his sister and her family are still alive after they were abducted from their home near Gaza in the deadly terror attack.
Ahal Besorai recounted speaking on the phone to Sister Yonat Or as she cowered in the shelter of her home on Kibbutz Be’eri as Palestinian gunmen moved around, shooting and killing.
But while his elderly father and older sister were rescued by the Israeli army hours later, there was no trace of Yonat (50), her husband Dror (50) and two of their three children, Noam (15) and Alama (13).
Now the 60-year-old Cambridge University-educated lawyer from London is combing through hours of hateful propaganda videos posted online in the hope of finding evidence that his loved ones are alive.
Mr Besorai told Web: “My sister and her family were last seen being dragged from their home by the terrorists.”
Yonat Or, 50, her husband Dror, 50. British lawyer Ahal Besorai told how he spoke on the phone with Sister Yonat as she cowered in the shelter of her home on the Be’eri kibbutz as Palestinian gunmen moved around, shooting and killing
Yonat is holding a plant. While Mr. Besorai’s elderly father and sister were rescued by the Israeli army hours later, there was no trace of Yonat, 50, her husband Dror, 50, and two of their three children, Noam, 15, and Alama, 13.
A picture taken on October 11, 2023 shows a destroyed house at the site of an attack by Hamas militants last weekend in Kibbutz Be’eri, near the border with Gaza
“Since then, I have watched many of those terrible terrorist videos in search of them. I hope to see something that tells me they are alive. But nothing.
“It is perverse to say this, but I hope that my sister and her family are in the hands of Hamas and are not dead.”
“These people are like ISIS, savages, but if they’re being held hostage, at least they’re alive.” And that gives me hope.”
Since its invasion of Israel on Saturday, Hamas and its supporters have posted disturbing videos of civilians cowering in fear, being crammed into vehicles heading toward Gaza, and of rabid gunmen shooting and looting.
Yonat Or, her husband and two of her children. Cambridge University-educated London lawyer Ahal Besorai spends hours combing through hateful propaganda videos posted online in the hope of finding evidence that his loved ones are alive
Yonat Or, her husband Dror and their daughter Alama, 13. Mr Besorai told Web: “My sister and her family were last seen being dragged from their home by the terrorists. “I have been looking for them ever since watched a lot of those horrible terrorist videos.
Yonat Or and her husband Dror cuddle in front of the camera. Mr Besorai said: “It is perverse to say, but I hope that my sister and her family are in the hands of Hamas and are not dead.”
Mr. Besorai grew up on Be’eri Kibbutz in the Negev Desert, about five miles from the Gaza border, before moving to London to study law.
He said: “I called my sister Yonat on Saturday morning.” It was about 6.30am and she said there had been rocket fire and they were flying into the bunker.
“She whispered because she heard gunshots and men speaking in Arabic and shouting “Allah Akbar.”
“She didn’t want to alert them that they were home.”
“I ended the conversation. I was worried but didn’t want to call back. I didn’t want her phone to ring and the terrorists hear it.
“So I sent WhatsApp messages but she didn’t read them.”
“Later I also called her husband Dror, but there was no answer.”
“The kibbutz is a small community. I know a lot of people there.
“But I couldn’t reach anyone.”
“My father and my other sister Noat live there, but they couldn’t help them.” My father is 89, he couldn’t go out. They had to stay in their accommodation.
“My father was rescued by soldiers after 13 hours.” My sister Noat was rescued after 24 hours. But there was no sign of Yonat.
“That evening I called her eldest son Yali, who is serving in the army in the north.
“He said he spoke to a neighbor on the kibbutz.
“They said the terrorists set the house on fire. And a friend saw my sister and my family being pulled out of the house alive.
Yonat Or and her husband Dror. Mr Besorai said: “I called my sister Yonat on Saturday morning. It was about 6.30am and she said there had been rocket fire and they were flying into the bunker.’ He said she was whispering because she heard gunshots
Yonat Or and Alama on a boat. Mr. Besorai said, “I ended the call.” I was worried but didn’t want to call back. I didn’t want her phone to ring and the terrorists hear it.
Dror and one of her children smile on the street. “My father was rescued by soldiers after 13 hours.” My sister Noat was rescued after 24 hours. But there was no trace of Yonat,” Mr. Besorai said, referring to his other sister
“They must have broken into the animal shelter. They were dragged out by the terrorists but were alive. No one has seen or heard from them since.
“Be’eri” was one of the worst atrocities. 120 bodies were recovered from my kibbutz, an indiscriminate massacre.
“It was like a pogrom from the last century.” Babies were shot and people were beheaded.
“But when the soldiers came, they did not find Yonat and her family among the dead.
Dror smiles. Mr Besorai said: “In the evening I called their eldest son Yali, who is serving in the army in the north.” He said he had spoken to a neighbor on the kibbutz. They said the terrorists set the house on fire. And a friend saw my sister and my family being pulled out of the house alive. They must have broken into the animal shelter.
Yonat Or, her husband Dror and two of their children on vacation
Yonat Or, her husband Dror and Alama on a boat. Referring to Yonat and her family, Mr Besorai said: “They were dragged out by the terrorists, but they were alive.” No one has seen or heard from them since.
“They are considered missing. I hope they were taken to Gaza.”
Mr Besorai, who now lives in the Philippines, told how he spent a “wonderful” holiday with his sister in the spring.
He said: “My two sons live with their mother in London. We stayed in Be’eri for three weeks in April. They played together with Yonat’s children. It was wonderful.
“Now I’m doing everything I can to find her.”