British-Israeli citizen, 16, confirmed dead in Hamas attacks
A teen Israeli-British citizen has been confirmed dead in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on southern Israel in which her sister and mother were also killed.
Noiya Sharabi, 16 lived on Kibbutz Be’eri and is now confirmed dead along with her 13-year-old sister, Yahel, and their mother, Lianne, the family told BBC News on Sunday.
Both Noiya and Yahel had been missing since the attack, in which at least 1,400 Israelis were killed, about 100 at Be’eri, and more than 200 taken hostage. British-born Lianne was killed immediately, and Yahel’s death was confirmed last week. Their father, Eli, is still missing, as are several other relatives known to have been kidnapped, the family said.
“Noiya was clever, sensitive, fun and full of life — her smile lit up the room like a beacon,” family members told BBC News, adding that Noiya “embraced every opportunity to help others, particularly those less fortunate than she, and was a gifted student and linguist. Most importantly, she was an amazing granddaughter, cousin and niece. We are heartbroken she has gone, but forever grateful she was here.”
Last week, Yahel was celebrated as “full of adventure and mischief,” the family said.
They said the family would visit the U.K. at least once a year. Lianne Sharabi, 48, had first visited Israel at 19, eventually moving their permanently. She messaged family members on the day of the massacre saying she could hear gunfire and shouting in Arabic, and that it was “a whole other story” than the routine rocket attacks they were used to.
About 10 British citizens were killed in the attacks, BBC News said, while five are missing and one has been kidnapped.
