A man whose sister and two nieces were killed in Hamas attacks on Israel is campaigning to free his brother-in-law from captivity.
Steve Brisley’s sister Lianne Sharabi, cousins Noiya, 16, Yahel, 13, and their family dog were killed on October 7 last year when Hamas launched a series of cross-border attacks into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip.
Mr Brisley, from Bridgend, said he last heard that his brother-in-law Eli was alive in November.
He said, “Hope is all we have,” because they “don’t know whether he is alive or dead.”
“It was a normal Saturday morning for me. I was scrolling through the news and saw that rockets were coming from Gaza towards Israel.
“I sent a message to my sister, as I always do, but I never got a response to that message,” he said.
His family still doesn’t know what happened to Eli or if he experienced anything that day.
“We know he was alive in November, but that’s the only news we have,” he added.
Mr Brisley said Lianne was a talented musician and singer who had retrained as a dental assistant in recent years.
He said: “Once we had confirmation about Lianne and the girls, I had to go to my parents and tell them that their only daughter was dead.
“It’s something they never get over. You don’t expect to outlive your children.”
Of his nieces he said: “What has become of them is for you the feeling that they have taken you.”
“It’s something you have to learn to live with, but it’s something none of us will ever get over.”
The Foreign Office said a team of experts is providing ongoing support to family members in the UK and Israel.
It said it would “continue to use every diplomatic lever to achieve a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages, in cooperation with international partners”.
“The fighting must stop now. We need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and all hostages still being brutally held by Hamas must be released.
“We must also ensure the rapid delivery of unlimited aid to Gaza.”
