The Foreign Office said it’s working to secure the release of more hostages after the Hamas terrorist group gave up the mother of a British woman.
Downing Street confirmed on Tuesday that at least 12 British nationals have been killed in the Israel–Hamas war while five remain missing.
According to an update by the Israeli military, as of Monday, 222 people had been confirmed as taken hostage during the Oct. 7 cross-border onslaught by Hamas.
The terrorist group has released four women so far, including a pair of American mother and daughter on Friday and two Israeli women on Monday.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it’s working on freeing more hostages.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of loved ones still being held captive, as they endure unimaginable anguish and worry at this time,” a spokeswoman said.
“We will continue to work tirelessly with Qatar, Israel, and others to ensure all hostages come home safely.”
Qatar is seen as a key mediator in the Middle East conflict, with Doha using its ties to Hamas—a number of figures from the Gaza-ruling group’s political wing are said to live in the country—to negotiate for the release of hostages taken during the deadly assault on Israel more than two weeks ago.
Further pleas for Hamas to give up its hostages are expected to be made on Tuesday during a press conference with affected families at the Israeli Embassy in London.
At Least 12 Killed
Downing Street later sought to “clarify” the numbers.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said the government can now “confirm at least 12 British nationals were tragically killed in last week’s terrorist attacks.”
“A further five British nationals are missing,” he added.
Among those confirmed dead are British-born women Lianne Sharabi and her two teenage daughters Noiya Sharabi and Yahel Sharabi.
Ms. Lianne Sharabi, 48, was killed and her family members were taken when Hamas attacked the Be'eri kibbutz in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
The family confirmed the deaths of Yahel, 13, and Noiya, 16, on Oct. 17 and Oct. 22. The girls’ father Eli and other relatives are still missing.
Bernard Cowan, 57, a Glasgow man who was working at the Sufa kibbutz in southern Israel, was shot dead by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, while photographer Danny Darlington, 34, was killed on the same day while visiting the Nir Oz kibbutz.
Jake Marlowe, 26, died after the Hamas terrorists descended on the Nova music festival, where he worked as security.
‘Spider Web’ of Tunnels
Ms. Yocheved Lifshitz, who was released by Hamas on Monday, said she had been kept in a “spider web” of tunnels underneath Gaza.Translating for her mother, Ms. Sharone Lifschitz told a press conference in Tel Aviv: “She was taken on the back of a motorbike, with her legs on one side and her head on the other side that she was taken through the ploughed fields with the men in front, on one side, and a man behind her. And while she was being taken she was hit by sticks until they reached the tunnels.
“There they walked for a few kilometres on the wet ground. There are a huge network of tunnels underneath—it looks like a spider web,” she said.
Through her daughter’s translation, Ms. Lifshitz also told reporters their captors had otherwise been “very friendly” and provided hostages with medicines and treatment.
Her husband Oded Lifshitz is still among the hostages. Ms. Sharone Lifschitz has said she will continue to campaign for his release and the release of other hostages.
