Former hostage Eli Sharabi meets UK Prime Minister in mission to raise awareness for remaining hostages

Sharabi’s family had visited Downing Street twice before—each time pledging to return with Eli. On Friday, that moment became a reality.

By Jewish Breaking News

As Eli Sharabi continues his global efforts to raise awareness, his message remains clear: “We are not free until all the hostages are free.”

On Friday, the former hostage visited 10 Downing Street for an emotional meeting with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, just weeks after his release from captivity.

Sharabi, whose harrowing testimony on Channel 12’s Uvda gained international attention, was part of a delegation of freed hostages who met with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week at the White House.

A Painful Reunion and a Call for Action

During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed his deepest sympathies for the tragic loss of Eli’s British-Israeli wife, Lianne, their teenage daughters, Noiya and Yahel, and his brother Yossi, who was murdered in captivity.

Starmer listened as Sharabi described the inhumane conditions he endured during his nearly 500 days as a Hamas hostage, including beatings and starvation.

Despite his suffering, Sharabi emphasized: “I never lost hope of coming home.”

Sharabi also urged the UK government to take further action to secure the release of the 59 remaining hostages, including his brother Yossi’s body. The Prime Minister assured him that securing their freedom remained a top priority.

“Inhuman is a word that is used too often,” Starmer said, “but your experience warranted that word.”

He promised: “The British government will do everything we can. We will redouble our efforts.”

A Symbolic Gift and Continued Advocacy

Sharabi presented Starmer with a framed copy of The Times’ Peter Brooks cartoon, which depicted him, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami appearing emaciated upon their release—juxtaposed with Holocaust survivors under the caption: “Never Again – Again.”

Earlier this week, Sharabi had also gifted the same print to President Trump during their meeting in the Oval Office.

The meeting at Downing Street was attended by Sharabi’s brother, Sharon, his brother-in-law, Stephen Brisley, family friend Annabel Sheldon, and the family’s lawyers, Adam Rose and Adam Wagner.

A Return to Downing Street Under Different Circumstances

Sharabi’s family had visited Downing Street twice before—each time pledging to return with Eli. On Friday, that moment became a reality.

Now free, Sharabi remains committed to advocating for the hostages who remain in captivity, including those with British ties—Avinatan Or, Shay Levinson, and his brother Yossi Sharabi.

A Survivor’s Journey

Eli Sharabi, 52, was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023. His wife and daughters were murdered while hiding in their safe room, and his brother Yossi was taken captive before being killed in Gaza.

Upon Sharabi’s release on February 8, images of his frail condition shocked the world. At the time, Prime Minister Starmer expressed relief at his release but condemned the appalling circumstances in which he had been held.

On Friday, a Downing Street spokesperson reaffirmed the UK government’s commitment to securing the freedom of the remaining hostages, stating that the ongoing suffering of those still in captivity is a brutal reminder of Hamas’ inhumanity.