Sharabi Family Tragedy: Israel Mourns Hamas-Targeted Mother and Daughters

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In the tranquil serenity, overlooking the pomegranate trees, lie three graves that stick out like sore thumbs, juxtaposed against the calm. Here rest a mother, Lianne, and her daughters, Noiya and Yahel Sharabi. A testament to the tragic reality of a family targeted by Hamas, in an attempt to erase their existence.

The cruel irony of the situation is emphasized by an old photograph, where Lianne is grinning cheerfully, her arms wrapped lovingly around Noiya and Yahel. Their jubilant faces give no indication of the fate that awaited them. Merely months after the ecstatic celebration at Kibbutz Be’eri in Southern Israel, they now lie lifeless in the very place they once called home.


Be’eri is now a ghost town, sites of mass destruction replacing what was once a welcoming home. The relentless cycle of death leaving no room for ceremonious farewells, thus burying our beloved Sharabis 25 miles away from the Gaza border. Their resting place does not bring much solace either; Eli, the girls’ father, is still nowhere to be found, and their uncle Yosi, cruelly snatched away from the family.

Lianne, a warm, compassionate mother, wife, daughter, and sister, known for her wit, had moved to Israel at a young age of 19 from Bristol, making a life in this foreign land, before it was brutally wrenched away from her by Hamas. Now, she lies silent along with her daughters, Yahel, a vivacious 13-year-old who lived for adventure and mischief, and Noiya, a brilliant 16-year-old who balanced sensitivity with infectious fun.

Numerous Israeli citizens mourned their loss, the spectacle filled with saddened faces bearing t-shirts that screamed, “Lianne, Noiya and Yahel have been murdered. Bring back Eli and Yosi now.” The tear-streaked faces of teenage girls provided a poignant backdrop, their confusion and grief painting a grim portrait of the tragic day.

Unable to even attend the funerals, Lianne’s extended family and friends in Bristol watched from miles away, their hearts heavy with grief. They remembered Yahel’s reckless bike rides around the kibbutz, and the twinkling laughter that filled the room as she danced to TikTok videos with Noiya, their presence missed sorely, leaving a void impossible to fill. Noiya, though young, was already being recognized for her potential and beauty, eulogized as an extinguished light.

Lianne’s characterization by her own brother, Steve, as being ‘large in every way – in her love, her persona, her attitude, and even her tongue’, laces the mournful atmosphere with a hint of humor, touching upon her unique personality. Her mother, Gill, referred to her dry, often irreverent humor, never meant with ill intentions.

“We will perpetually miss our girl, precious memories of her tucked away deep within our hearts, never to fade until our dying days,” Gill voiced in a heartbreaking eulogy, a poignant reminder of Lianne’s laughter-filled 48 years of existence. The Sharabi saga has come to an end, leaving behind a somber memory that paints a grim picture of the day, signifying the impact the family has left behind.