Eli Sharabi’s release after 491 days in captivity should have been a moment of relief, but it was overshadowed by devastating news. The 52-year-old, who had been abducted by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attacks, was unaware that his British-born wife, Leanne, and their two daughters, 16-year-old Noya and 13-year-old Yahel, had been killed on the very day he was taken hostage. His initial joy at being freed quickly turned into sorrow as he learned the extent of his personal loss.
Sharabi was taken from the Nova music festival, where Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack, killing and kidnapping hundreds. Alongside him, his brother Yossi was also abducted. But while Eli survived, Yossi was executed in captivity. His body was later paraded in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, and is still being held by Hamas, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Upon his release, Sharabi was handed over to the Red Cross at the Gaza border, where he reunited with his remaining siblings. However, the first images of him after captivity raised deep concerns among his family. His frail and gaunt appearance was a stark reminder of the physical and psychological toll of his ordeal.
His brother-in-law, Steve Brisley, based in Bridgend, Wales, expressed both relief and anguish over the situation. Speaking to the BBC, he described the emotional turmoil the family has endured: “It's the end of one part of the nightmare that we've been in, but the beginning of the next chapter.” Brisley highlighted the bittersweet reality of Sharabi’s return—on the one hand, the relief of knowing he was alive, but on the other, the agony of witnessing his weakened condition. “To see him paraded in that propaganda fashion was incredibly difficult. He’s upright and walking, but he’s thin, gaunt, and the light is gone from his eyes,” Brisley said.
Sharabi’s wife, Leanne, was originally from Staple Hill, near Bristol. She first traveled to Israel at 19 as a volunteer on a kibbutz, where she later met and married Sharabi, making Israel her home.
The hostage release was part of a broader ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. On the same day that Sharabi and two others were freed, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners. Since the agreement began on January 19, a total of 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages have been freed, while 583 Palestinian detainees have been released in return.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue for the next phase of the ceasefire, which aims to secure the release of around 60 more hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Israeli media reported that an Israeli delegation was scheduled to fly to Doha to continue talks.
The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack was the deadliest day in Israel’s history since its founding in 1948, with 1,200 people killed and more than 250 taken hostage.
