Cleverly forced to flee as the missile sirens disrupt his Israel visit
The Foreign Secretary arrived in Israel yesterday to express Britain’s ‘solidarity’ after the bloody hamas attacks, as the King condemned the ‘barbaric acts of terrorism’.
James Cleverly’s visit was interrupted by sirens warning of incoming rocket fire which sent the minister and other delegates running for shelter.
A tense video showed the Foreign Secretary being ushered into a building in Ofakim in southern Israel.
‘I’m here in Israel today to show that the UK’s support for the Israeli people is unwavering,’ he had posted earlier on X, formerly known as Twitter, before the incident.
Mr Cleverly was due to meet survivors of the attacks and senior political leaders to outline UK support for Israel’s right to defend itself. his arrival has prompted calls for the
‘Our support is unwavering’
Foreign Secretary to express a ‘clear humanitarian position’ on the fate of civilians in Gaza, which has been under bombardment from Israel for five days.
It comes as 17 British nationals – including some children – were said to be either missing or feared dead in Israel after the bloody attacks at the weekend.
Previous estimates had put the figure at ten with several British deaths already confirmed.
The latest victim is Jack Marlowe, 26, from Potters Bar who had been missing for several days since the music festival massacre.
he was working as a security guard at the event but had not been heard from since texting friends saying he was trying to save revellers as hamas launched a sixhour rampage at the site.
his family said last night: ‘We are heartbroken to have to inform you the crushing news that our son
Jake has been confirmed dead in southern Israel.’ Three men, Nathanel Young, 20, Bernard Cowan, 57, and Dan Darlington had already been confirmed dead since Saturday’s bloody onslaught.The exact number of Britons caught up in the wave of violence is not yet known as efforts are still being made to trace those reported missing.
But Mr Cleverly said that a ‘significant number’ of British-Israeli dual nationals had been affected.
The death toll in Israel has reached 1,200 with 1,100 Palestinians killed and thousands more injured in Israel’s five- day bombardment of Gaza. Mr Young, from London, who was serving in the Israeli army, was the first Briton to have been reported dead in the attacks on Saturday.
Glaswegian Bernard Cowan, who lived in Israel with his wife and two children, was said to have been killed when their kibbutz was invaded by hamas.
he was identified on Sunday by family members who said he had been ‘murdered in cold blood in his home’ by the savage militants.
The family of Manchester photographer Mr Darlington said he was also ‘murdered’ by gunmen at Nir Oz, in southern Israel.
Announcing his death on social media, his sister Shelley said: ‘Only days before he was riding his bike, laughing, taking photos of sunsets and enjoying life’s simple pleasures in our beautiful kibbutz.
‘he was meant to leave for Tel Aviv the night before but decided to stay one more day to explore the kibbutz with his friend – a decision that has irrevocably changed all our lives forever, and one that cost him his life.’ British-born Miryam Shafir said her 30-year- old son Dor and his fiancee Savion Kiper, 31, have been identified as the latest victims of the music festival massacre.
The 55-year- old mother, whose parents are from Reading and Dublin, said the couple – who were due to marry next year – were last seen fleeing to their car when attackers descended on the site.
Rescuers have recovered more than 260 bodies of revellers who were gunned down by dozens of gunmen at the festival in the Negev desert, near the kibbutz of Re’im.