‘No closure until last hostage is home’, say families of killed British citizens
Share:
Families of British citizens murdered in the Israel-Hamas conflict have expressed “cautious optimism” over the ceasefire and hostage deal and warned “there will never be any closure” until all Israeli hostages are returned. Stephen Brisley, whose sister Lianne Sharabi was killed with her daughters Noiya and Yahel, refuses to get carried away after “so many false dawns”.
Ayelet Svatitzky, whose brothers Roi and Nadav Popplewell were murdered, said the worry will persist “until the last hostage is home”. Ms Svatitzky, whose mother Channah Peri was previously taken as a hostage, told the PA news agency: “We’ve been praying for a deal to be signed, and every hostage (being) released is a relief for them, for the families and for us.”.
Speaking from Israel, the 47-year-old went on: “Of course, it’s too late for my brother, we will never be able to save them. “We were able to bring him for burial, and so we know how crucial it is for a deal to be complete and for all hostages to be brought back, for the live hostages to be released to their families and to start the healing and rehabilitating.”.
Asked if the reported ceasefire would bring her family closure, Ms Svatitzky said: “There will never be any closure for us until all the hostages are back. “We’ll be worried and we’re not able to move on until the last hostage is home.”. Mr Brisley, whose brother-in-law Eli Sharabi was taken hostage, told PA: “(It is) difficult to process after waiting so long for this. When it finally comes or seems to have come, it’s kind of difficult to know how to react and how to feel really, but (I am) obviously cautiously optimistic.”.
