20-year-old British man serving in the Israeli army has been killed in an attack by Hamas militants, his family have said.
Nathanel Young was serving with the Israeli Defence Services when he was killed on the Gaza border on Saturday.
His death comes after 26-year-old Jake Marlow, who went to the same London school at Mr Young, was reported missing while providing security at a music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, close to the Gaza border.
Gaby Shalev, from London, posted on Facebook: “We’re heartbroken to share that our little brother Nathanel Young was tragically killed on the Gaza Border yesterday.”
The former pupil at JFS Jewish school in Kenton, north London, had been living in the Bayit Shel Benji lone-soldier house in Raanana, according to the Jewish News.
The Foreign Office has been approached for confirmation of his death.
The Israeli Embassy in London confirmed that London-born Mr Marlowe, who is reported to have moved to Israel two years ago was missing but it had not been confirmed that he had been kidnapped.
Israeli media have reported that at least 600 people were killed, including 26 soldiers, during the attacks, prompting PM Benjamin Netanyahu to say they were at “war” as the country launched a military response.
A spokesperson told the PA news agency: “He is missing, we don’t know for sure that he is taken hostage or dead or in a hospital.”
Mr Marlowe has not been seen since the invasion early on Saturday morning when he was providing security for a music event in the desert near Kibbutz Re’im, close to the Gaza border.
Mr Marlowe’s mother Lisa, told the Jewish News: “He was doing security at this rave yesterday and called me at 4.30am to say all these rockets were flying over.
“Then, at about 5.30am, he texted to say ‘signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you’, and that he loves me.”
Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely confirmed that a British citizen “is in Gaza” following kidnappings by Hamas, but did not clarify if they were being held hostage.
She told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “I know there is one British citizen who is in Gaza at the moment.
“The Israeli government is doing everything we can to help those who are held hostage and every citizen who is taken is returned.”
Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns said the Government’s priority would be ensuring the safety of the missing Briton and as well as other British nationals in Israel.
She told Sky News: “What we did see yesterday was British families having to hide in safe rooms some with, I believe, a baby as young as 10 days old, and so many international victims being taken hostage.
“Obviously, that will be a priority for the British Government, I would expect the ministers will be in today working on precisely how we can get that individual to safety working with our allies.
“It’s crucial we do not give the terrorists what they want but, at the same time, first and foremost the duty of the British Government is to keep British nationals safe.”
Ms Kearns placed the blame for the attack on Iran for supporting Hamas and called for the proscription of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which she described as the country’s “international terror tool”.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the UK would support Israel in whatever it decides is necessary to defend itself against Hamas attacks.
He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “We support their right of self-defence and will support them in whatever they decide to do to defend their country against terrorist attacks.”
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said they would not comment on individual cases but added: “However, we can confirm we are in contact with – and assisting – the families of several individuals in Israel and the OPTs (Occupied Palestinian Territories).
“The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority and we urge everyone to continue to follow our travel advice which is updated regularly.”
