Hamas captivity survivor Eli Sharabi mourned on Wednesday for his brother Yossi, who was killed in captivity in the Gaza Strip, as well as for his wife Lianne and two daughters, Noiya and Yahel, who were murdered in the October 7 massacre.
During a memorial service, Sharabi expressed his anguish, saying, "How can one contain this? How can one find words?"
He addressed his wife Lianne, stating, "How can I speak of you in the past tense, when so much of you still lives within me? You came to us from the other side of the world, from distant England, and chose a small kibbutz in the south, Kibbutz Be'eri. You chose to be here with us in love and dedication, as if you had always been part of us. Anyone who met you immediately felt beneath the awkwardness and cynical British humor your modesty, care and kindness.
"You loved to cook, and the kitchen was the place where you created magic," he continued. "The aromas of dishes, laughter, music in the background, an open book on the table—that’s how your routine looked. You read a lot, as if through books you managed to see the world deeper, more sensitively, just as you were—deep, sensitive, rare."
Sharabi expressed his pain, saying, "Lianne, you were murdered in cruelty that has no explanation—in a crime that has no justification. But even in the difficult moments, I cling to what you left behind: endless love, joy of life, memories of light. The world is missing you, Lianne, and I miss you with every breath. Rest in peace, my beloved, always. May your memory be blessed."
He mourned for his eldest daughter Noiya, wondering, "How can one contain this? How can one eulogize a 16-year-old girl, when all of life was still ahead of you? Our Noiya, who grew up in Kibbutz Be'eri, a child of nature, of community. You were so sensitive, delicate but also strong. You had a huge heart, a heart that saw people—that felt everything. A heart that always chose good.
"You loved music, and songs accompanied you like breathing, like a way to express what words could not," he said. "You loved friends; there were so many around you because anyone who met you stayed. And above all, you volunteered devotedly with children with special needs, because that’s how you saw those who are not always seen, hugging those who needed a hug, giving of yourself without thinking twice. My Noiya, you had so many dreams, so much future, and everything was cut short in a cruelty that has no words. But I promise you will not be forgotten. Your heart, your tenderness, your light—we will continue to tell, remember, live. Rest in peace, beloved girl; you are always with me."
Sharabi also mourned for his younger daughter Yahel, saying, "All I want is to hear your laughter again." He stated, "You grew up in Be'eri, a child of freedom, of open skies. You were beautiful on the outside, but mainly on the inside. There was a light in you that could not remain only with you; it spread to everyone around you. You loved thrills—skydiving, diving—everything that raises the pulse and brings a smile. You always wanted to taste life to the fullest, as if you knew you had to do everything quickly.
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"And your laughter, Yahel, your laughter was a gift," he added. "There was not a moment you didn’t try to make someone laugh, to bring joy, to make the moment lighter, happier. You were a ray of light everywhere. And all of this was taken from us brutally, in incomprehensible violence. You were 13 with a huge heart, with a smile that no evil could extinguish until that day. My Yahel, I promise you will not be forgotten—neither your light, nor your laughter, nor the way you loved life. You will continue to shine in our hearts forever. Rest in peace, my little beloved."
Sharabi also mourned for his brother Yossi, who was killed in captivity, saying, "It is hard to stand here today, in a place I never imagined we would be. It is hard to speak of you in the past tense. You, who were always there—the first to lend a hand, the first to laugh, the first to love." He described his brother as "a huge heart, a person whose entire being was giving—not in words, but in actions."
He added, "Your family was an anchor in your life, three beloved daughters who had the best father they could ask for. A loving man who knew how to embrace life even in difficult moments. The waves called you; you loved to surf, you loved freedom, you loved the wind. The calm of the sea, perhaps because in your heart there was that infinite, quiet, deep space.
"Captivity did not break you. Even when you were far from us, you continued to be who you are—our Yossi, full of strength, faith and hope," said Sharabi. "And we are here, shattered and in pain, but so proud of you, my dear brother. Our hearts will never be whole without you. But your love, your kindness and your smile will continue to live within us."
Sharabi's eulogy was part of the memorial events for the fallen soldiers of Israel and victims of terror, observed on Wednesday. Throughout the day, hundreds of thousands of people visited military cemeteries across the country.