Latest news with #British-Israeli
Channel 4
3 days ago
- Politics
- Channel 4
Netanyahu ‘doesn't want' ceasefire deal – former Israeli peace negotiator
We're joined by British-Israeli analyst Daniel Levy, who is President of the US Middle East Project. He served as a peace negotiator during the premierships of Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak.
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Our son saved pals by throwing back 7 Hamas grenades before 8th killed him…but he left us final heartbreaking message
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE parents of a British-Israeli soldier who sacrificed his life in the October 7 atrocity found a heartbreaking final message in his unreleased music. Brave Aner Shapira, 22, heroically threw back seven live grenades hurled into a bomb shelter by callous Hamas fighters in a bid to save his friends. 7 Aner Shapira, right, with dad Moshe Credit: Family Handout 7 Brave Aner positioned himself in the doorway of the shelter to throw grenades out Credit: Family Handout 7 Shocking footage showed Hamas terrorists repeatedly hurling grenades into the shelter Credit: X/Israel 7 Aner, front left, with his siblings and parents Credit: Family Handout Heart-stopping footage showed the off-duty soldier, dressed in a t-shirt and sandals, lobbing grenades out of the shelter he and 26 terrified others were hiding in. Tragically, the eighth device exploded and killed the fearless off-duty soldier. His resilient parents, dad Moshe and mum Shira, said they were not surprised by his courageous act. They first heard about their son's heroics from two people who survived the barbaric October 7 attack thanks to Aner. Proud dad Moshe said: "We got a phone call from a girl, a survivor, and said said 'I want to tell you, due to Aner, I'm alive. Your son is a hero'. "When the videos of the grenades came out and went viral, people told us it's amazing what he did. "But nobody [his friends, family, colleagues] was surprised. "Since he was a small child, it was obvious that was his spirit." Shira added: "He always took a stand. When he saw something was not right, he would come and feel like it was his own business to make it better. "He acted like that, and he also wrote about it." Israeli military says it began extensive ground operations in northern and southern Gaza Keen pianist Aner, who grew up in the quiet south Jerusalem neighbourhood of Talpiot, fell in love with music at an early age. Aner, the eldest of seven children, later explored rap and hip-hop, often singing about social justice and unity. After his death, his parents found a catalogue of music that was published as an album - Looking for Love - to mark what would have been his 24th birthday. In one song, they found a poignant final message from the IDF Staff Sergeant. Moshe said: "Whenever people ask us about Aner, they want us to tell them about the last half an hour of his life, the battle, the shelter, what happened with the grenades. "But we insist on looking at his whole life." Shira added: "He found the best way for him to combine his love for music and his love of his principals, his values, his composing, singing and recording his music. "We have more than 60 songs that he left expressing his values and his way of life, and he wanted to publish his album, but he didn't have the chance. 7 An album of Aner's music has been released to mark what would have been his 24th birthday Credit: Family Handout 7 Harrowing scenes showed hundreds fleeing the Nova music festival Credit: Twitter Gaza offensive puts hostages 'in danger' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital), in Paris ISRAEL'S new offensive in Gaza hinders bringing the remaining hostages home and puts them in "immediate danger", a former diplomat has warned. Ex-Israeli ambassador Daniel Shek questioned the point of the latest ground operation against Hamas as he insisted the military is now "going around in circles". Earlier this year, there was a glimmer of hope as both the terror group and Israel laid down their arms and 33 hostages - 25 alive - were released. But Shek said the three-phase plan failed to reach its second phase as Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition partners vowed they would leave if it did - collapsing the government. Now Israel risks sanctions from the UK and France after launching a renewed ground offensive just after Donald Trump left the region without fixing a ceasefire deal. Speaking exclusively to The Sun in Paris, Shek warned the fresh operation - dubbed Gideon's Chariots - has a "two-fold danger" for those still captive. His call for the Israeli government to prioritise returning the hostages through diplomatic means before crushing Hamas was echoed by Shoshan Haran, who was kidnapped by terrorists. READ MORE HERE "So we released it for his birthday. "In one of his songs, he's saying 'if something happens to me, if I'm dead, publish my album'." Talented Aner was enjoying the Nova music festival in southern Israel with a close group of friends when it was stormed by gun-toting Hamas terrorists. As rocket fire rang out, Aner - the grandson of the late Israeli lawmaker Haim Moshe Shapira - and his pals rushed to a roadside bomb shelter next to kibbutz Re'im. Aner bravely positioned himself in the doorway to protect the other 26 hiding inside as brutal fighters bombarded the shelter with grenades. He throw them out one by one before the eighth killed him. Of those inside, 16 were murdered and four others were kidnapped by merciless Hamas militants. The four hostages taken were Aner's best friend Hersh Goldberg-Polin who lost his arm in the attack before being murdered in Gaza. Eliya Cohen and Or Levy have been released, while another victim, Eynav, was killed. 7
The Irish Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Our son saved pals by throwing back 7 Hamas grenades before 8th killed him…but he left us final heartbreaking message
THE parents of a British-Israeli soldier who sacrificed his life in the October 7 atrocity found a heartbreaking final message in his unreleased music. Brave Aner Shapira, 22, heroically 7 Aner Shapira, right, with dad Moshe Credit: Family Handout 7 Brave Aner positioned himself in the doorway of the shelter to throw grenades out Credit: Family Handout 7 Shocking footage showed Hamas terrorists repeatedly hurling grenades into the shelter Credit: X/Israel 7 Aner, front left, with his siblings and parents Credit: Family Handout Heart-stopping footage showed the off-duty soldier, dressed in a t-shirt and sandals, lobbing grenades out of the shelter he and 26 terrified others were hiding in. Tragically, the eighth device exploded and killed the fearless off-duty soldier. His resilient parents, dad Moshe and mum Shira, said they were not surprised by his courageous act. They first heard about their son's heroics from two people who survived the barbaric October 7 attack thanks to Aner. More on Israel Proud dad Moshe said: "We got a phone call from a girl, a survivor, and said said 'I want to tell you, due to Aner, I'm alive. Your son is a hero'. "When the videos of the grenades came out and went viral, people told us it's amazing what he did. "But nobody [his friends, family, colleagues] was surprised. "Since he was a small child, it was obvious that was his spirit." Most read in The Sun Shira added: "He always took a stand. When he saw something was not right, he would come and feel like it was his own business to make it better. "He acted like that, and he also wrote about it." Israeli military says it began extensive ground operations in northern and southern Gaza Keen pianist Aner, who grew up in the quiet south Jerusalem neighbourhood of Talpiot, fell in love with music at an early age. Aner, the eldest of seven children, later explored rap and hip-hop, often singing about social justice and unity. After his death, his parents found a catalogue of music that was published as an album - In one song, they found a poignant final message from the IDF Staff Sergeant. Moshe said: "Whenever people ask us about Aner, they want us to tell them about the last half an hour of his life, the battle, the shelter, what happened with the grenades. "But we insist on looking at his whole life." Shira added: "He found the best way for him to combine his love for music and his love of his principals, his values, his composing, singing and recording his music. "We have more than 60 songs that he left expressing his values and his way of life, and he wanted to publish his album, but he didn't have the chance. 7 An album of Aner's music has been released to mark what would have been his 24th birthday Credit: Family Handout 7 Harrowing scenes showed hundreds fleeing the Nova music festival Credit: Twitter Gaza offensive puts hostages 'in danger' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital), in Paris ISRAEL'S new offensive in Gaza hinders bringing the remaining hostages home and puts them in "immediate danger", a former diplomat has warned. Ex-Israeli ambassador Daniel Shek questioned the point of the latest ground operation against Hamas as he insisted the military is now "going around in circles". Earlier this year, there was a glimmer of hope as both the terror group and Israel laid down their arms and 33 hostages - 25 alive - were released. But Shek said the three-phase plan failed to reach its second phase as Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition partners vowed they would leave if it did - collapsing the government. Now Israel risks sanctions from the UK and France after launching a renewed ground offensive just after Donald Trump left the region without fixing a ceasefire deal. Speaking exclusively to The Sun in Paris, Shek warned the fresh operation - dubbed Gideon's Chariots - has a "two-fold danger" for those still captive. His call for the Israeli government to prioritise returning the hostages through diplomatic means before crushing Hamas was echoed by Shoshan Haran, who was kidnapped by terrorists. "So we released it for his birthday. "In one of his songs, he's saying 'if something happens to me, if I'm dead, publish my album'." Talented Aner was enjoying the As rocket fire rang out, Aner - the grandson of the late Israeli lawmaker Haim Moshe Shapira - and his pals rushed to a roadside bomb shelter next to kibbutz Re'im. Aner bravely positioned himself in the doorway to protect the other 26 hiding inside as brutal fighters bombarded the shelter with grenades. He throw them out one by one before the eighth killed him. Of those inside, 16 were murdered and four others were kidnapped by merciless Hamas militants. The four hostages taken were Aner's best friend Hersh Goldberg-Polin who lost his arm in the attack before being murdered in Gaza. Eliya Cohen and Or Levy have been released, while another victim, Eynav, was killed. 7 What happened on October 7? ON October 7 2023, militants of Hamas and other Palestinian nationalist groups launched co-ordinated armed attacks in the Gaza Envelope of southern Israel. The perpetrators had managed to bypass Israeli defences to para-glide across the border, in what became the first invasion of the territory since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The horror coincided with the Jewish celebration of Simchat Torah, and initiated the ongoing Israel-Hamas War. A barrage of around 4,300 rockets were launched on Israel from the Gaza Strip in the early hours of October 7 before vehicles and powered paragliders crossed the border. The Hamas fighters attacked military bases and massacred civilians in 21 communities, including Be'eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, Netiv Haasara, and Alumim. The first civilian attack started at 6.29am at the Nova Music Festival site at Re'im, just three miles from Gaza. More than 360 revellers were cut down as they desperately tried to flee. Across October 7, an estimated 1,139 people were massacred and another 250 civilians and soldiers were taken hostage into Gaza.
Spectator
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Finding spiritual treasure in César Franck
The Belgian composer César Franck – unfairly associated with kitsch and sentimentality by certain cultural sophisticates – wrote some of the most spiritually inspiring music of the late 19th century. In this episode of Holy Smoke, Damian Thompson talks to the British-Israeli pianist Ariel Lanyi, who has just recorded Franck's late masterpiece Prélude, Aria et Final on the Linn label. Ariel discusses the influence of Catholicism and the anti-Catholic Richard Wagner on the devout Franck, who was organist of a church in Paris for 30 years – but reserved his most profound thoughts for ostensibly secular works. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Damian Thompson.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump must do more to help hostages, says family of Briton killed on Oct 7
Donald Trump, the US president, should not focus his rescue efforts solely on American hostages, the father of a British-Israeli man killed on Oct 7 has said. Aner Shapira, 22, died during a battle with Hamas fighters outside the Nova musical festival while he sheltered with 26 other young Israelis. Despite being unarmed and dressed in just a T-shirt and sandals, Mr Shapira, an off-duty soldier, fought off the terrorists for over 30 minutes by throwing out seven live grenades they had tossed into the bomb shelter he was hiding in. An eighth device fatally wounded him. His parents' renewed plea for the return of all Israeli hostages comes after the release of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old US citizen, who was freed following direct talks between US officials and Hamas, controversially leaving Israel out of the process. Credit: Telegram/@southfirstresponders Asked whether he trusted Mr Trump more than Israel's leaders to bring about the return of the hostages, Mr Shapira's father Moshe, 54, said: 'The Americans have the ability to rescue people. Sadly, it's not enough to rescue non-American citizens. 'I would have liked to see Trump bring us more hostages. The one government that brings back the hostages, that's the one that should get the credit.' Pressed on whether he believed Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, would secure the release of Israelis held in Gaza, he said: 'We hope. We are begging to see results. The most important thing now is to bring the hostages back. 'I believe that he'll be convinced that this is the wish of the Israeli people. We are a nation that searches for peace and life, not death.' Aner Shapira grew up in the quiet south Jerusalem neighbourhood of Talpiot. He was a keen pianist who recorded his own music in the hope of being a professional musician – often singing about social justice and unity between people. 'He always took a stand', his mother Shira, 50, said. 'If he saw something was not right he felt it was his business to make it better.' When he was in the city's centre, Moshe recalled, he would ask for the names of police officers searching African immigrants for their permits – quizzing them on whether they only stopped them because they were black. Mr Shapira was off duty from his elite combat unit on that fateful Saturday in October. His parents first heard the news about their son's acts from the two people who fled the shelter thanks to his heroism. 'We got a phone call from a female survivor who said: 'It's because of him that I'm alive. He's a hero',' Moshe said. Days later, they received a call from the father of another survivor, who said Mr Shapira had thrown out grenades from the shelter. 'He said: 'Thanks to [Aner] my son is alive'.' However, it was not until video footage emerged that the Shapiras' friends believed the incredible story was true. 'They didn't believe us', Shira said. 'When the videos went viral people told us how amazed they were by what he did. We said: 'We told you!' But they said: 'We didn't believe you'.' In three-hour-long audio footage recorded from the shelter by a woman killed by Hamas, people sheltering described Aner as a 'fighter', Shira said. At one moment, she said, Mr Shapira threw out an unexploded RPG shell from the shelter and people said: 'That is our protector.' Speaking following the launch of an album of Mr Shapira's unreleased songs to celebrate what would have been his 24th birthday, Shira added: 'In the last hour of his life, he chose to be the man like he believed everyone should be: to save lives and care for others that he didn't even know.' The album is called Looking for Love and can be streamed on YouTube. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
