A British citizen is missing believed to be in Gaza following the Hamas attack on Israel.
Jake 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.
Israeli media has reported that at least 300 people were killed, including 26 soldiers, during the attack, prompting PM Benjamin Netanyahu to say they were at “war” as the country launched a military response.
The Israeli embassy in London confirmed that the 26-year-old London-born man who is reported to have moved to Israel two years ago was missing, but it had not been confirmed that he had been kidnapped.
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.”
Lisa, the mother of the former pupil at the JFS School in Kenton, north London, 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 in Israel, 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.
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— Alicia Kearns, Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman
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.”
