An Israeli hostage released from Gaza did not know his wife and two daughters were killed in the Oct. 7 attack until after his release on Saturday, his British relatives said.
Eli Sharabi was taken captive by Hamas and freed in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, as part of an internationally brokered ceasefire deal. His wife, Lianne Sharabi, originally from Bristol, England, and their daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were found murdered in their safe house in 2023, “cuddled together,” according to family members.
Lianne’s parents, Gill and Pete Brisley, told the BBC that an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier informed Sharabi of his family’s fate after his release. Before that, relatives were unsure whether he knew that his wife and daughters had been killed.
Sharabi was one of three hostages handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas on Saturday. Speaking after his release, he said he was “very happy today to return to… my wife and daughters,” raising concerns that he was unaware of their deaths.
The Brisleys, who live in Bridgend, Wales, said they cried while watching their son-in-law’s release via livestream. They described Sharabi’s appearance as “gaunt” and were struck by his emaciated state.
“When we saw Eli, it was shocking—the hollow eyes, sunken cheeks, his wrists like sticks,” Pete Brisley said.
The couple spoke to Sharabi in a video call after his release. “He got choked up a couple of times but managed a small smile for us. Such a brave man,” they said.
Lianne Sharabi had moved to Israel as a volunteer on a kibbutz at 19 and later settled there permanently. She met Eli three months after arriving, and they had two daughters, Noiya, 16, and Yahel, 13.
Sharabi’s release came as part of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, which took effect on Jan. 19. On Saturday, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages. The deal stipulates that 33 hostages taken on Oct. 7 will be freed in weekly handovers in exchange for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
So far, 16 Israeli hostages have been freed, and 566 Palestinian prisoners have been released since the ceasefire began.
Hamas took 251 hostages and killed about 1,200 people during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, sparking the ongoing war. Since then, Israel’s offensive has killed at least 47,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations estimates that two-thirds of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed.
