A group of women whose Israeli relatives are thought to have been kidnapped by Hamas have flown to the UK to plead for British help to create humanitarian corridors and bring them home safely.
The four met Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in his office on Tuesday morning, alongside shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy.
Reut Maor’s 59-year-old aunt Sylvia Ohayon was last heard from on the morning of Saturday 7 October at her home in Kibbutz Be’eri, the scene of one of the deadliest massacres during the Hamas attacks in Israel.
Sylvia phoned her daughter from her safe room to say she could hear people speaking Arabic outside, but the call disconnected after an explosion – her phone later tracked to Gaza.
Israel-Gaza latest: ‘At least 500’ killed in strike on Gaza hospital
“Is she alive, is she well – or is she dead?” said Ms Maor. “The uncertainty is just overwhelming – day after day passes and we have no knowledge of what is going on with her.”
Sylvia Ohayon’s sister, Nurit Retter, a British citizen, also attended the meeting.
Ms Maor explained the group wanted to speak to UK political leaders because “we consider Britain to be a capital of democracy around the world”.
They had been hoping to meet government figures, and although that wasn’t possible during the short trip, they’re hoping the message will get through.
Ms Maor said they’d had a positive meeting with the opposition team however.
“They were very supportive, and they were eager to hear us and hear more about our families and what they’re going through, and what we would like to achieve,” she said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
The group is principally “seeking help to get a humanitarian corridor set up inside Gaza to give them the aid they need, as well as some kind of sign of life… that’s the first step, later on to create some pressure on our government as well as on Hamas to release our families and get them back safely”.
Tragically, as Ms Maor set off for the airport home, the Israeli authorities confirmed her aunt’s body had been found.
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
Shani Segal’s cousin Rimon Kirsht is believed to have been kidnapped alongside her husband.
Her mother received a last voice memo from her at 8.30am on the Saturday morning, saying she loved her and wished she was with her; the army later found bullet holes and blood stains in their empty house in Kirim.
“We want all of them back,” said Ms Segal.
“Rimon is 36. Her husband is 34, he’s king of agriculture. They love music. They take in all the wounded animals that no one wants and they adopt them. These are the people that they have here. And we love them and we want them back. We just want all of them back. So please help us.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Ms Segal was glad to have met Sir Keir Starmer and his team.
“We did have a very good meeting, they will do whatever they can to help the hostages.
“I also wanted to say the speeches yesterday in the House of Parliament touched each and every one of our hearts and we really want to say thank you for the parliament and thank you for this country and for the United Kingdom in general. We’re not taking it for granted.”
Read more:
6,000 prisoners must be freed in exchange for hostages in Gaza – Hamas
Sunak says six Britons killed and 10 missing after Hamas attack
British girl, 13, who was missing with sister after Hamas attack confirmed dead
Limor Sella Broyde also attended the meeting with posters bearing the names of 12 missing family members.
Her cousin Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie are Americans from Illinois – they were visiting Judith’s mother for the holidays at the kibbutz Nahal Oz when it was captured by Hamas.
Shoshan and Avshalom Haran were hosting their daughter Adi and her family at their home in Kibbutz Be’eri – husband Tal, eight-year-old son Naveh and three-year-old daughter Yahel, as well as Avshalom’s sister Sharon and her daughter Noam, who’s 12.
Their house was later found burnt out and empty, but when a friend frantically called Avshalom’s phone it was answered by someone from Hamas who confirmed they were holding the family captive.
Shoshan’s sister Lilach Kipnis and her husband Eviatar were in a separate house on the same kibbutz with his carer Paul.
They were last heard from on a call from their safe room, telling relatives they loved them, as gunshots and explosions could be heard all around.
“We’re keeping busy,” said Limor Sella Broyde.
“For my family, when we stop doing things, that’s when we start thinking and feeling, it’s overwhelming.
“So we keep doing what we can, reaching out to media, reaching out to media and government officials – that’s why we came to the UK to reach out to democracies to help us create a humanitarian corridor, help us get in touch with our loved ones, we don’t know where they are.
“We don’t know if they’re dead or alive.”
