20-Year-Old British Man Serving In Israeli Army, Killed In Hamas Attack

A 20-year-old British man who was serving in the Israeli Army was killed in the Palestinian Hamas militant group's attack on Israel on Saturday.

The man, identified as Nathaniel Young, was a corporal in the Israel Defence Forces. He had been listed as living in Tel Aviv and a member of the army's 13th Battalion.

His family confirmed his death in a statement posted on Facebook. "We are heartbroken to share that our little brother Nathaniel Young was tragically killed on the Gaza border yesterday," it read.

This comes after another 26-year-old British man went missing after Saturday's surprise attack by Palestinian militants. He was one of the soldiers who were providing security at a music festival near the Gaza border.

An estimated 260 people have died after Hamas militants launched an attack on thousands of revellers at the music festival near the Gaza Strip.

Several videos of the horrific attack have made it to social media, wherein people can be seen running to save their lives.

Tzipi Hotovely, the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, confirmed that a British citizen has gone missing in Gaza. However, he did not reveal the identity of the person.

"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," Sky News quoted her as saying.

Meanwhile, the UK Foreign Office has warned people against travelling to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).

"The Israeli government has declared a state of emergency across the whole country. International borders (air and land) in Israel and the OPTs could close at short notice. You should check with your airlines and travel insurers before travelling. You are advised to consult Israeli Home Front Command for more information: www.oref.org.il/en or call 104 if you are in Israel," read FCDO's advisory.

The statement further stated that the "security situation in Israel and the OPTs can be fast-moving, tense, and unpredictable. You should be vigilant at all times and keep up to date with local media and travel reports".

More than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead in Gaza and Israel after the unprecedented coordinated assault by Hamas militants over the weekend.

The Palestine-based gunmen crossed over the border by land, sea, and air, attacking the southern and central parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has claimed that the coordinated attacks were carried out by as many as 1,000 Hamas militants.

Israel has formally declared war against Hamas. "Our enemy will pay a price the type of which it has never known," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said about Saturday's attacks. "We are in a war, and we will win it," he added.