An Australian man and his brother have been killed in the south of Lebanon after their building was hit by an Israeli air strike, family members have said.
Key points:
- Ibrahim Bazzi lived in Sydney’s south east and married Shorouk Hammoud in Lebanon
- The couple planned to start a new life together in Sydney
- Mr. Bazzi was called a “beautiful boy” by his uncle.
Ibrahim and Ali Bazzi died in air strikes on the town of Bint Jbeil in Lebanon overnight.
To visit his wife, Shorouk Hammoud, who recently obtained an Australian visa, 27-year-old Ibrahim Bazzi traveled from Sydney to Bint Jbeil.
Family members said the couple intended to settle down in Australia and begin a new life.
Several homes in Bint Jbeil were hit by missiles fired overnight by an Israeli warplane, according to local media in Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it had been striking Hezbollah targets based in Lebanon in response to what it says are rockets and missiles being fired into northern Israel by the militant group.
Australian born and raised Ali Bazzi moved to Lebanon to get married a few years ago.
Hezbollah declared after the attack that he had been one of its fighters, according to the AFP news agency.
All three people — lbrahim Bazzi, Shorouk Hammoud and Ali Bazzi — had their caskets draped in Hezbollah flags at their funerals on Tuesday.
Ibrahim Bazzi and Shorouk Hammoud are not mentioned as Hezbollah fighters.
Mohamed Hammoud, the first cousin of Ms. Hammoud, who lives in Sydney, said that Ibrahim Bazzi had strong feelings about traveling to Lebanon to bring his wife to Australia.
“My folks do not care. My folks are inconsolable. My family is in disbelief,” he said.
“We were expecting to meet and greet them here and welcome her to Australia and now that’s not to be … utter disbelief.”
Mr Hammoud said all he had left of his cousin were beautiful memories.
“She used to paint my daughter’s fingernails, she was full of life and happy.”
Ibrahim Bazzi was an electrician and a construction worker from the St George area in Sydney’s south.
He married Ms. Hammoud in Lebanon three years ago and was working to set up their lives in Sydney.
His uncle, Mohamed Kahmees, described Ibrahim Bazzi as “a beautiful boy”.
Then this happened, he explained. “He went to get his wife from Lebanon for a better life.”
“I’m really in a state of shock still.”
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was investigating claims that an Australian citizen had passed away in Lebanon.
Since the commencement of the Gaza conflict, Ibrahim Bazzi has been the first Australian to die in Lebanon.
