British man, 20, serving in Israeli army killed in Hamas attack as family pay tribute
8 October 2023, 15:38 | Updated: 9 October 2023, 08:27
A British man who was serving in the Israeli army has been killed in an attack by Hamas militants, the Israeli Defence Forces have said.
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Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, from London, was serving as a soldier in the 13th Battalion.
Nathanel, who lived in Tel Aviv, died in an attack on the Gaza border on Saturday, his family said.
Paying tribute to Nathanel on Facebook, a family member wrote: "Our little brother Nathanel Young was tragically killed on the Gaza Border yesterday."
A further tribute shared with the Jewish news wrote: "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."
He was a former pupil at JFS, a Jewish mixed comprehensive school in north London, according to the Jewish News.
Read more: More than 600 Israelis killed in Hamas attacks as PM Netanyahu vows ‘mighty vengeance’
It comes after Israel’s Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Saturday after Hamas militant group launched a surprise attack from Gaza which saw gunmen take both civilian and military hostages.
More than 600 Israelis have reportedly been killed since the Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, and more than 300 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip in Israel's retaliatory airstrikes.
It comes after British citizen Jake Marlowe, 26, was announced as missing on Sunday.
Jake’s friend Daniel Aboudy told LBC that he feels “completely lost” after finding out his friend was missing in Israel.
Footage shared online of an Israeli festival showed hundreds of young people fleeing the desert event after receiving a rocket alert warning and Hamas gunmen using paragliders started to descend on the event.
The UK Foreign Office has said it is in contact with families in Israel and occupied Palestinian territories.
