‘When we said we’re Jews…everything changed,’ say Hamas terror attack survivor brothers held at UK airport for hours
THE brothers who survived a Hamas terror attack say they “don’t feel safe” in England anymore after being detained at a UK airport.
Neira, 22, and Daniel Sharabi, 23, claim they were held at Manchester Airport for two hours after “everything changed” when two Border Force staff discovered they were Jewish.
The brothers had arrived in the UK to speak about their trauma from Hamas’ attack at the Nova Music Festival on October 7 last year.
But, they were “interrogated” by two staff members who allegedly told them “we don’t like what you came to do here. We don’t like you to come and tell your story”.
HAMAS HORROR
Palestinian civilians have been left fleeing for their lives as Israel attempts to destroy Hamas after the terror group massacred 1,200 civilians on October 7.
It was one of the worst terrorist attacks in history – and shocked the world with the disturbing levels of brutality used against men, women, children and even babies.
And dozens of people snatched on that day remain as hostages – or missing – after being kidnapped and taken into Gaza.
Much of Gaza has been turned into a devastated warzone – with ruined buildings, dwindling supplies and horrific suffering for the people.
After they realize that they don’t have anything to stop us, he just said to me something that I cannot forget, ‘we just want to make sure that you are not going to do here what you do in Gaza’
Neira Sharabi
The Red Cross estimate some 1.5million people are currently hunkering down in Rafah in the far south of the Gaza Strip near the border with Egypt.
Recalling the horror of Hamas attack at Nova Music Festival, Neira told The Sun: “We started to see everyone, so many of our friends, people that we know, they started to evacuate.
“We found ourselves running for our lives, and saw people falling beside us, people screaming.
“We lost Daniel’s best friend after he called out to us that he was being kidnapped. He’s currently a hostage now.
“We saw dead soldiers and we fought back for almost six hours until the army arrived to us.
“We’ve been through the worst case since the holocaust for the Jewish nation. Since then we have focused on therapy and doing our best.”
Figures for the death toll remain unverified – but Hamas’ health officials have claimed 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
Israel disputes these figures – but has admitted accidentally killing civilians in Gaza.
But the military and Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have often said the deaths must be blamed on Hamas – not Israel.
With the ongoing horror nearly six months on, there have been growing international calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to stop the bloodshed.
Neira and Daniel have now started a not-for-profit organization for the “survivors and wounded” in the Hamas atrocity.
Through the charity they offer healing retreats, equipment, and share their story to offer support for those experiencing the same trauma.
“And this is exactly what we came to do here, and unfortunately we we faced anti-Semitism,” claimed Neira.
“Now I’m not feeling safe to to be here, and and of course not to come back here, and probably I’m not going to send here my friend, to face with the same accident.”
Daniel added: “We went to the Nova festival like civilians that come to celebrate, happy and love.
“We are like the same people who go to Coachella in America.
“A lot of people were killed, and it has given the people who survived a life of PTSD. “
The brothers explained why they had come over to visit the UK.
“We were here to let the people know what we have been through,” continued Daniel.
“You’re not dealing with something normal, you’re dealing with the devil and terrorists that want only blood.”
They said they chose to speak in Manchester because of the terror attack at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017, which left 22 dead.
Neira explained: “We came here thinking to ourselves we would share our story and this would be normal for the government, but that was not the situation.”
“It doesn’t feel safe to come here and speak,” added Daniel, who also said they pair have been speaking in the States for the past three months.
AIRPORT ANGER
Shocking footage of the encounter with the Border Force employees has circulated on social media, sparking outrage.
Neira claimed they were asked why they were in the UK during their passport check.
“I told them I am here to share my story, my experience from October massacre on October seventh,” he said.
“Immediately, when he heard this kind of thing, he asked me, ‘what is your allegiance’ and I said to them, ‘I’m a Jew’, and from that moment everything changed.
The only reason for their detention and interrogation was because they are Israeli.
Mark Levy, the Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of GM & Region
“Something changed in their faces. From that moment I feel not safe, and he stopped asking me so many questions and took me to the side separate from everyone, sat us on some chairs and said to us, ‘wait over here, don’t move, don’t do anything’.
“After this, the woman came to us and started asking us ‘where did you serve in the army’, and I started to get nervous because I don’t realize what we did wrong.
“And this woman said to me ‘we don’t like what you came to do here. We don’t like you to come and tell your story, and this is not ideal’.”
After nearly two hours, the brothers had grown frustrated with the questioning and Neira allegedly asked: “What is the problem, is it because I’m a Jew. I don’t get it”.
The next interaction was then filmed by Daniel.
In the clip, the Border Force staff member can be heard saying: “Knock the attitude off.
“We’ve made the decision that you’re coming in, so just let us do the checks we need to do, and keep quiet.
“Look at me. Are you clear with that? Good.
“We’re the bosses, not you.”
We are investigating this. We do not tolerate antisemitism or any form of discrimination.
James Cleverly
After the camera stopped filming, Neira claimed: “After they realize that they don’t have anything to stop us, he just said to me something that I cannot forget, ‘we just want to make sure that you are not going to do here what you do in Gaza’.
“From that moment I just felt hot, and I realized that I don’t want to do anything.
“I don’t want to to make myself more trouble. So I just shut my mouth. And I tell, I tell to them, ‘okay, okay, just let me go’ and we go in, and that’s it.
“I don’t not feel safe. I don’t want to stay. If this is how the cops treat us.
“Today we go back home and I probably will never come back to England.”
The brothers claimed they were provided with no reason as to why they were being detained.
Daniel said he took the video when he alleged the official got angry “for no reason”.
Before the video was taken the brothers had already been kept for two hours.
“He said a lot of not nice things, but I couldn’t say anything, I understand that if I didn’t get proof, no one would believe us,” said Daniel.
Probe launched
Home Secretary James Cleverley vowed he does not tolerate antisemitism or any form of discrimination as the Home Office launched a probe.
He announced on X: “We are investigating this.
“We do not tolerate antisemitism or any form of discrimination.
“This incident will be handled in line with our disciplinary procedures.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are aware of the complaint made against Border Force staff at Manchester Airport and are investigating these claims.
“While the facts and circumstances are being established, it must be reiterated that we do not tolerate antisemitism, in any form, anywhere.”
And, the Jewish Representative Council of GM & Region posted on X: “We have been made aware that survivors of the 7th October terrorist attack on the Re’Im Music Festival were discriminated against by @UKBorder when arriving @manairport.
“We have requested an urgent investigation is commenced and assurances are received to ensure passengers with Israeli passports are able to travel without discrimination.
“Thank you to the team at Manchester Airport, as we are aware they have immediately acknowledged and recognised the severity of the allegations contained within our correspondence.
“This issue primarily rests with the Home Secretary and we call upon @JamesCleverly and @ukhomeoffice to ensure this matter is dealt with as a matter of urgency.”
‘Antisemitic intent’
Mark Levy, the Chief Executive of the Jewish Representative Council of GM & Region, added the Border Force official used an “unnecessary and demeaning” tone.
He also claimed the two men did not appear to “have been argumentative” towards the staff members.
In a letter to the airport, Mr Levy claimed the men were “subjected to abuse” which was “motivated by antisemitic intent”.
“The only reason for their detention and interrogation was because they are Israeli,” he added.
A spokesperson for Manchester Airport told The Sun it was a matter for Border Force and Home Office.
What happened in Israel?
A breakdown of how Hamas attack unfolded:
The Nova Music Festival saw more than 2,000 Hamas terrorists unleash hell on traumatised partygoers.
They slaughtered 260 people and kidnapped hundreds from the festival site.
Disturbing footage showed 3,000 terrified festival-goers fleeing as Hamas gunmen opened fire as they paraglided over the site near Kibbutz Re’im in the western Negev desert.
Israel launched its operations in Gaza following an attack by the terror group on southern Israel on October 7, when militants killed 1,200 people and took about 250 others, hostage.
Over 100 hostages were released in November during a week-long cease-fire in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas has said it won’t release the last of the hostages unless Israel ends its offensive and withdraws from the territory.
Israel says 132 captives are still being held in Gaza but 29 are thought to be dead.
More than 31,400 have now been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
The UN has said more than three-quarters of its population have been displaced and over a million are crammed into Rafah, a small slither of land near the border.
Five people were killed in Gaza this month as aid packages plunged to the ground, it was reported.
