Every year Liri Albag and her siblings would join millions of young Israelis in celebrating the Jewish festival of Purim, a huge fancy dress holiday.
But as families put on costumes for a more sombre event over the weekend, Liri’s siblings refused – for their loving little sister remains in captivity in Gaza.
Instead, Roni and Shay Albag have marked the occasion by sharing cherished old photographs of Liri’s outfits over the years as they implore negotiators not to forget her.
Only adding to the urgency to free her, they have learnt the 19-year-old has been kept as a domestic slave, forced to clean toilets and cook while she is fed scraps.
Today they have agreed to publish these private pictures which chart how she blossomed from a shy little girl into a confident a young woman who dreams to travel the world.
Pictured from left to right: Liri Albag’s sister Roni holding a portrait of her, her mother Shira and her other sister Shay. Liri was kidnapped on October 7 from Nahal Oz, near the Gaza border
Liri’s sisters and mother with a collection of photographs of Liri. Instead of dressing up in fancy dress to mark Purim, Roni and Shay Albag have marked the occasion by sharing cherished old photographs of Liri’s outfits over the years as they implore negotiators not to forget her
Liri age 6 with her father Eli. The family have agreed to publish these private pictures which chart how she blossomed from a shy little girl into a confident a young woman who dreams to travel the world
Soldiers identified Liri’s DNA from traces of blood and exclusively shared a picture with the Mail of the room which has children’s toys and a pink wardrobe
From her very first Purim as an angel, to dressing innocently as a caterpillar and Minnie Mouse, they show how she grew into a typical teenager, donning cowboy hats and miniskirts.
‘It’s hard to look at, it feels like another life,’ said Shay, 22, as she flicked through the photo album with the Daily Mail at the family home in Yarhiv, central Israel.
‘This is not a happy holiday. We’re not going to drink and we’re not going to party or celebrate, because she’s sitting there in the tunnels in Gaza. It’s very hard for us.’
Sat beside her, Roni, 25, says: ‘As I look at the pictures, she’s so young and so happy. It’s very hard to think about this – it’s very hard to think about her.’
Purim commemorates how Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of an evil official of the Persian empire named Haman.
Jewish children dress up while adults must drink so much alcohol they cannot distinguish between the hero and the villain of the story – though the latter tradition was toned down this year.
It is not lost on Liri’s sisters that she is being held by a group whose name and genocidal intentions are nearly identical to that of the 5th Century BCE mandarin.
‘Thousands of years ago an evil man named Haman wanted to kill all the Jewish people in the world,’ said Shay. ‘It is the same today. Hamas wanted to kill us all on October 7.’
Liri was kidnapped that day from Nahal Oz, near the Gaza border, with teenagers Naama Levy, Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev and Agam Berger.
The only sign of life they have had is when hostages were released in November and the family can now disclose that they revealed the depraved conditions in which she is being held.
Liri celebrating Purim as a child. With pressure building for a hostage deal in Qatar this week, the family are hoping for a Purim-esque miracle that saves Liri from the clutches of Hamas
Liri (left) as mini mouse with sisters Shay (centre) dressed up as a pirate and Ronnie dressed up a a devil
Only adding to the urgency to free her, they have learnt the 19-year-old has been kept as a domestic slave, forced to clean toilets and cook while she is fed scraps
Liri aged 5 (left) and a grown up Liri (right). Released hostages told how Liri was forced to clean the family’s toilets and cook them food which she herself was not allowed to eat. She only had her first shower after 37 days. Liri was then moved into the tunnels, and now they do not know where she is
Liri’s mother – Shira. ‘I have a dream that Liri is coming home,’ said Shira. ‘When she’s coming home she will say, ‘Mum, it wasn’t so bad, they treated me nicely.’ I hope that this dream will come true’
Shira, Shay and Roni each got the word ‘faith’ tattooed on their wrists two weeks after she was taken. It is a nod to the etching Liri and her boyfriend, Nir, got after he was run over last April
Liri with boyfriend Nir Alboro. He was run over by a terrorist and left unable to walk, but while she has been held captive he has made a miraculous recovery and has vowed to run to meet her when she is freed
Her mother, Shira, 51, said: ‘She was in a tunnel at that time, 40 metres under the ground, with no air, sunlight, a lot of humidity, no toilet, no water.
‘She was drinking salt water from the sea and not much food. That was 112 days ago. From then, we have heard nothing.’
They can also say for the first time how the IDF managed to track down where Liri and some other girls were held in their first few days in Gaza.
Soldiers identified their DNA from traces of blood and exclusively shared a picture with the Mail of the room which has children’s toys and a pink wardrobe.
‘At first when I saw it, I was happy because she was in a child’s room,’ said Shira. ‘There were kids clothes in the cupboard and it gave me a little relief that she wasn’t in a scary place.
‘But then I understood that she is with a family – they kidnapped her, not Hamas. It’s the equivalent of me keeping someone else’s children locked in my house.’
Released hostages told how Liri was forced to clean the family’s toilets and cook them food which she herself was not allowed to eat. She only had her first shower after 37 days.
Liri was then moved into the tunnels, and now they do not know where she is. Her sisters miss her dearly.
‘We are best friends, and we do everything together,’ said Roni. ‘Now whenever I do something I want to tell her – but she’s not there.’
They are so upset the family, which also includes brother Guy, 15, and father Eli, 54, have not had a single meal together since she has gone as it is ‘not right’ without her.
Liri and her brother Guy. The family are so upset the family they have not had a single meal together since she has gone as it is ‘not right’ without her
Liri as a baby dressed up as a caterpillar with sister Shay, aged 5, dressed up as a ladybird
Liri dressed up as queen Esther smiling at her father Eli. Purim commemorates how Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of an evil official of the Persian empire named Haman
Shira, Shay and Roni each got the word ‘faith’ tattooed on their wrists two weeks after she was taken. It is a nod to the etching Liri and her boyfriend, Nir Alboro, got after he was run over last April.
Nir, 20, was hit by a terrorist and left unable to walk, but while she has been held captive he has made a miraculous recovery and has vowed to run to meet her when she is freed.
With pressure building for a hostage deal in Qatar this week, the family are hoping for a Purim-esque miracle that saves Liri from the clutches of Hamas.
‘I have a dream that Liri is coming home,’ said Shira. ‘When she’s coming home she will say, ‘Mum, it wasn’t so bad, they treated me nicely.’ I hope that this dream will come true.’
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