At least ten British nationals are missing or dead as a result of Saturday’s devastating attack on southern Israel, including two confirmed deaths.
According to the Chief Rabbi, every Jewish household in the UK has been affected “in some way or another.”
‘The first question we ask people when we call them in the UK is, “How is everyone in your family?” stated Sir Ephraim Mirvis.
‘Because there certainly isn’t a Jewish family in the UK which hasn’t been affected in one way or another by this.’
Those confirmed missing or dead include:
Nathanel Young, 20
Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, from London, was a soldier in the 13th Battalion who lived in Tel Aviv.
Mr Young was carrying out his ‘childhood dream’ of joining the Israeli army when he was assassinated in a surprise attack by Palestinian terrorists.
According to the Jewish News, the corporal was a former student at JFS Jewish school in Kenton, north London, and had been living in a lone-soldier residence in Raanana. ‘Nathanel was full of life and the life of the party,’ his brother Eliot added. He adored his family and friends and was adored by all.’
Mr Young’s funeral in Jerusalem was disrupted yesterday by warning sirens and loud explosions, with mourners taking cover behind gravestones, according to the BBC.
Bernard Cowan, 57
Mr Cowan grew up in Newton Mearns, Glasgow, then settled in Israel where he lived with his wife and three children.
He was yesterday identified by family members on social media as having been ‘murdered in cold blood in his home’.
His brother, Colin Cowan, shared on Facebook: ‘Yesterday my brother was murdered by the terrorists Hamas.
‘He was the kindest, most generous person you would ever meet, and would go out of his way to help others. We are all heartbroken.’
Jackson Carlaw, Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament for Eastwood in East Renfrewshire, said Mr Cowan had been ‘murdered on Saturday by Hamas’, adding that it was ‘desperately sad and grim news’.
Jake Marlowe, 26
Jack Marlowe was last seen attempting to rescue revellers from the killers. He remained missing last night.
Mr Marlowe, who attended the same London school as Mr Young, sent frantic messages to pals while working security at the Supernova music event near the Gaza border, where approximately 260 people were killed.
His parents, Lisa and Michael, from Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, have started an urgent search for information.
The carpenter’s mother told the Jewish News on Sunday that the final communication she received from her son was one in which he expressed his love for her.
‘He was working security at this rave yesterday and called me at 4.30 a.m. to tell me all these rockets were flying over,’ she explained.
‘Then, about 5.30 a.m., he texted, “Signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you,” and that he loves me.’
Dan Darlington
Mr Darlington, a photographer, is believed to have been dead, along with his German friend Carolin Bohl, after the kibbutz he was supposed to leave the day before was stormed by Hamas fighters.
On Instagram, heartbreaking photos show the couple laughing together just before they vanished.
‘My baby brother, Dan, was assassinated by terrorists early Saturday morning on our kibbutz, Nir Oz, with his beautiful buddy Carolin,’ said his sister Shelley.
‘He was supposed to leave for Tel Aviv the night before, but stayed an extra day to visit the kibbutz.’
Dor Shafir, 30
A British mother living in Israel is pleading for help to find her missing son and his girlfriend after they were caught up in the music festival attack.
Dor Shafir, and his fiancée, Savion Hen Kiper, both 30, were attending the nature party near Nirim.
Miryam Shafir, 55, whose father is from Reading and whose mother was from Dublin, urged the UK and Irish governments to apply pressure on Hamas.
‘We know from a person that saw them at the party that when they heard the first rockets, my son and his girlfriend were the first to run to their car and leave,’
Ms Shafir said. ‘We don’t know if they are alive or dead.’
Rishi Sunak has vowed to take the “necessary steps” to protect the UK’s Jewish community following the “horrific violence” unleashed by Hamas on the people of Israel.
The Prime Minister said it will provide Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration with whatever support it needs to defend itself.
At least 900 Israelis and more than 500 Palestinians have been killed after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday morning.