UK
Nathanel Young: British man serving in Israeli army killed in Hamas attack
A British man who was serving in the Israeli army has been killed in an attack by Hamas militants.
Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, from London, was a soldier in the 13th Battalion, according to the Israeli Defence Forces.
His family shared a post on Facebook saying they are “heartbroken”, adding: “Our little brother Nathanel Young was tragically killed on the Gaza Border yesterday.”
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He was a former pupil at JFS, a Jewish mixed comprehensive school in Kenton, north London, who was living in the Bayit Shel Benji home for lone IDF soldiers in Raanana, north of Tel Aviv, according to the Jewish News.
Nathanel Young’s family are ‘heartbroken’
Mr Young’s family said in a tribute: “Nathanel was full of life and the life of the party – he carried the nickname DJ on base and at Benji’s house, the lone soldier house that he lived at.
“He loved his family and friends and was loved by everyone. He loved music and was a talented DJ.
“Always willing to go to any lengths for his loved ones. An amazing uncle and brother. He was so happy and thriving in Israel. He loved the country.”
His brother Eliot Young told Sky News: “Nathanel always had strong Jewish pride. From a young age he has always wanted to play an important role in defending his country – it’s something he talked about a lot.”
He added: “Nathanel was also a bubbly guy who my two little daughters loved playing with and were always so excited to visit.
Nathanel Young was serving in the Israeli army
Nathanel Young ‘was loved by everyone’
“When Nathanel could have taken his days off to sleep and re-energise, he instead found out where we were, which wasn’t always so close to him, and came to join us.”
It is understood that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is in contact with and assisting the families of several people in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Another British man Jake Marlowe, 26, has been “missing near Gaza” since Saturday morning after Hamas attacked a music festival in southern Israel, the country’s embassy in the UK told Sky News.
Hundreds of Israelis were killed and thousands more were injured after Hamas fired missiles into Israel while fighters launched a surprise attack on Saturday morning.
Gunmen targeted up to 22 locations in the initial assault, with gun battles continuing into Sunday.