Eli Sharabi, an Israeli hostage freed from Gaza, shows signs of distress, triggering "pendulum of emotions" for his family, who are concerned about his health and the uncertain knowledge of his family's deaths. Despite their relief, they emphasize the emotional toll of his release spectacle.
Concerns Over Health of Freed Hostage Eli Sharabi Amid Family Tragedy
Concerns Over Health of Freed Hostage Eli Sharabi Amid Family Tragedy
The British family of Eli Sharabi, released after 16 months in captivity, expresses a mix of relief and distress due to his condition and grief over lost loved ones.
Eli Sharabi, an Israeli hostage released from Gaza on Saturday, has become the subject of deep family concern due to his emaciated condition and the trauma surrounding his captivity. His brother-in-law, Steve Brisley from Bridgend, South Wales, shared a mix of joy and despair, noting their worries about Eli's physical state and his awareness of the tragedy that befell his family.
Mr. Sharabi, 52, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Beeri on October 7, 2022, the same day Hamas killed his British-born wife Lianne and their two teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, in their home. During a highly publicized release in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, he was one of three hostages returned, but the display impacted his family deeply.
Brisley expressed his dismay at seeing Eli being paraded for propaganda after so long, stating, "To see the physical state of him... he's gaunt, thin, and just the light gone from his eyes." After 16 months of uncertainty about Eli’s fate, his family was heartened to learn of his survival but horrified by the conditions of his release.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which facilitated the handover, raised concerns about the dignity of such operations and urged for more respectful processes in the future. Notably, the family remains in the dark about whether Eli knows about the loss of his loved ones, which adds to their emotional strife.
Pete Brisley, Eli's father-in-law, noted the confusion around Eli’s awareness of the event that led to his captivity. The family hopes to learn more about Eli’s experience soon, as they await him in a local hospital. His wife Lianne was remembered as a vibrant individual who found a life in Israel after volunteering on a kibbutz, where she met Eli.
The recent release of Eli and two other hostages corresponds with a ceasefire agreement, which allows for a larger exchange—183 Palestinian prisoners released alongside the ongoing releases of Israeli hostages. This exchange marks a larger context of the ongoing violence and upheaval resulting from tensions in the region, where casualty numbers have soared drastically since October 7.
As the family grapples with the emotions of reunion and grief, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy welcomed Eli's release, urging for an extensive ceasefire to ensure that all parties involved effectively address the human cost of this conflict.
