British man killed by Hamas was due to leave kibbutz, brother says

A British man killed in a Hamas attack on an Israeli kibbutz was meant to have left but stayed "one more day" in a place he considered a "little piece of heaven", his brother has said.

Daniel Darlington, 34, originally from Manchester, was killed at the Nir Oz kibbutz in the 7 October massacre.

His brother Lior Peri told the BBC Mr Darlington was an "amazing free sprit" who was the "cool uncle" in his family.

He said his focus now was to bring his 79-year-old hostage father home.

The UK government has confirmed 12 British nationals were killed in Hamas's attack last month. A further three are missing.

Mr Darlington, a photographer, had been living in Berlin and was visiting friends in Israel when Hamas struck.

Mr Peri said it was by "complete chance" his half-brother was in the kibbutz when Hamas arrived.

He said: "He stayed in the kibbutz one more day.

"He was supposed to come back to us in Tel Aviv and he was so happy to announce to me that he found a ride the next day so he could stay one more day in this little piece of heaven he liked so much.

"That's where it ended unfortunately."

Mr Peri said his father Haim, a lifelong peace activist, was among those taken hostage in the attack.

"He has been a farmer all his life and an enthusiastic peace activist," he said.

"I get my hope from the belief that I will see my father alive and well again. It's the only thing keeping me and all of us up and running," he said.

Mr Peri said the operation to rescue the hostages now needed to be the "first priority".

"We've started calling more on the Israeli government to persuade us that they are doing whatever they can to release the hostages, since we don't really have the confidence that they are doing whatever is needed," he said.

"They are continuing the ground invasion. We can't know if this pressure applying on Hamas is helping us in the hostage situation or is it pushing us further away."

More than 11,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Forty-six Israeli soldiers have been killed, the Israel Defence Force has said.

Four hostages have been released and the IDF has rescued one.

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