A group of five young Israeli students arrived in the UK on the eve of last week’s ceasefire to discuss the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The group arrived as part of the Israel Jewish Congress’s initiative to “strengthen the connection of Israelis with the Jewish community across Europe.”

Group leader Dina Margolin, foreign affairs adviser at the IJC, said: “Israel is attacked by the press around the world; we want to convey a different point of view. We chose young ambassadors who live in an area affected by attacks so they can talk about their experience.”

However, the 17-year-olds did not have the opportunity to express their side of the story to external media outlets or organisations.

“We’ve tried to speak to external press outside the Jewish community but they’re not interested.”

Michaela Carni, 17, from the southern city of Be’er Tuvia, 40 km from the Gaza border, faced a bomb siren before she left for the airport at 5:30am. She described the UK media response to the conflict as “frustrating”.

The students, three from the south of Israel and two from Tel Aviv, met their counterparts at JFS, Yavneh College and Bnei Akiva, where they gave talks.