Merav Svirsky, sister of Itay Svirsky who was murdered by Hamas terrorists while in captivity in Gaza, told Channel 12 News on Friday that her brother was shot by his captor after an Israeli air strike nearby. “There was shelling by the army not far from the place where Itay was, and a few moments later his captor shot him, while trying to escape," said Svirsky, who added, "The fighting is killing the hostages. We are being lied to." Kibbutz Be'eri on Tuesday announced that Svirsky and another hostage, Yossi Sharabi, had been murdered after having been held hostage in Gaza for about three months. The announcement came two days after they were seen in a Hamas propaganda video together with another hostage, Noa Argamani. Hamas terrorists claimed that they would publish information regarding the fate of the three hostages the next day. When a second video was released a day later, Hamas claimed that Svirsky and Sharabi were killed in an Israeli air strike. Merav Svirsky said in Friday’s interview that her family had gotten a sign of life from Itay from hostages who were freed in the deal with Hamas in November. “We received a sign of life from Itay 50 days ago, more or less, from hostages who came back. He was alive, he was strong. After 99 days of a nightmare - he was shot. And I also have the opportunity here to tell what I know happened. We have said time and time again that the goals of the fighting, as they are presented, conflict with one another. The elimination of Hamas and the return of the hostages do not go hand in hand. We said that the fighting endangers them and that the fighting kills them. And in Itay's case, there was shelling by the army not far away, not in the place where Itay was, and a few moments later Itay's captor, or whoever was with him, shot him, while trying to escape. An unmistakable proximity of times and an unmistakable proximity to the location of the shelling," she added. "This is the information we received. I wish I could have received different information. It is word-for-word what I said over and over again could happen. So no one can say exactly, but yes there was shelling not far away, he died from being shot by Hamas, from a shot by his captor who shot him apparently while fleeing, I don't know exactly why, but that's exactly what we warned would happen. Go figure out the reason, they just shot him. For 99 days he survived there in a horrible nightmare and then they just shot him," said the sister. Related articles: Captivity survivor: 'I was kidnapped from my bed under gunfire' Israel expands benefits for released hostages The epileptic seizure that changed my life - & led to my release 'They have a sadist guard, he's in serious condition' "As far as I'm concerned, we're being lied to right now. They are giving up on [the hostages] and we are being lied to right now. I am talking about certain people in the Cabinet who only say to keep fighting. Yesterday we heard [Gadi] Eisenkot say different things . I hear from Bibi and Gallant that they only call for fighting all the time - and that doesn't go together [with freeing the hostages]." "When they announced about Yossi and Itay this week, I was sure that people would take to the streets and shout the cry of the families. They continue to give up on them one by one, and it could be any of you. It could be you and it could also be someone watching at home. There are families who are protesting now in Caesarea , and I say to everyone - get out of your homes and join the families in Caesarea and cry out with them. Because we are fighting for the set of values of this country," said Merav Svirsky.
