‘No closure until last hostage is home’, say families of killed British citizens
A ceasefire and hostage deal has been agreed between Israel and Hamas.
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.”
He said he had been “glued” to news outlets both in Gaza and Israel over the last 48 hours before reports intensified on Wednesday.
Mr Brisley continued: “I think this afternoon, when it’s really landed, it’s still difficult to believe that it’s happening. Because there have been so many false dawns, there’s still that part of me that isn’t really allowing myself to believe it still, despite the fact that it’s been formally announced.
“We still don’t know exactly what the framework of it is, exactly what the rate is they’ll be released, in what order, and if it is spread out over the course of six weeks. Six weeks is a long time, a lot can happen.
“There are still many moving parts that could very easily fall apart but, obviously, it is that bit of joy that we’ve been looking for, that light at the end of the tunnel.”
He admitted he was unsure whether his brother-in-law was still alive.
Speaking about a potential reunion with Mr Sharabi, he added: “It’s bittersweet – we don’t know whether he knows that my sister, my two nieces, his wife and two daughters are dead.
“My concern is that the hope of being reunited with them is what’s been keeping him going and nourishing him for the last 14 months, and finding out that he’s coming back to nothing is what could break him.
“I just want to be able to put my arms around him and tell him that he’ll be OK, and (that) he can carry on, because him coming out alive and rebuilding his life, and us helping him to rebuild his life, is the one crumb of comfort that our family has been been holding on to.”
