‘Monsters!’: Israel Embassy decries Eli Sharabi torture

The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines has strongly condemned the treatment of Eli Sharabi, an Israeli hostage, during his 16-month captivity by Hamas.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, the embassy described Sharabi’s ordeal, calling it “a last act of torture” before his release.

“They murdered Eli Sharabi’s wife and two daughters, dragged him to Gaza and held him hostage in tunnels without daylight and food for over 490 days,” the post read.

“Now they parade him on stage as a last act of torture before releasing him to the Red Cross. Look at what they did to him. Monsters.”

Sharabi, 52, was among three hostages handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza on Saturday in a choreographed release.

His British-born wife, Lianne, and two teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were killed during the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Beeri on 7 October 2023, where Sharabi was captured.

Family members expressed a mix of relief and heartbreak over his release.

Steve Brisley, Sharabi’s brother-in-law in Wales, described the past 24 hours as “a pendulum of emotions.”

While grateful for Sharabi’s survival, Brisley voiced concern over his gaunt appearance and noted that Sharabi appeared unaware of his family’s deaths.

“To see him paraded in that propaganda fashion was incredibly difficult,” he said in a BBC interview.

“He’s gaunt, thin, and just the light is gone from his eyes.”