Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway shared an emotional update with viewers on Tuesday
Good Morning Britain star Kate Garraway has made a sad announcement after a tragic death. Tuesday’s (January 20) episode of the popular ITV show was anchored by Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, who kept viewers updated on the latest happenings in the UK and around the globe.
Joining them in the studio was Laura Tobin, providing regular weather updates, while Kate took charge of the day’s other news stories.
Later in the programme, Kate relayed a heart-wrenching update about the shooting that occurred at Bondi Beach last month, which tragically claimed the lives of 15 people. Among the victims was 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest casualty of the horrific event.
“The family of the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach anti-Semitic terror attack have spoken to ITV News for the first time about the tragedy and how they battled in vain to save the life of Matilda as bullets were still being fired,” Kate revealed, reports Wales Online.
Kate Garraway shared heartbreaking news on Tuesday(Image: ITV)
“Their incredibly moving testimony comes on the day that Australian politicians are debating new laws to prevent a similar attack of ever taking place again.”
ITV correspondent Debbie Edwards, reporting live from Bondi, recounted her emotional meeting with Matilda’s parents, Valentyna Poltavchenko and Michael Britvan.
She shared: “[They] described how they felt when two terrorists started shooting at a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach in December, and they couldn’t see their two daughters. Matilda and her little sister had gone to a petting zoo at the event.
Matilda Poltavchenko was the youngest victim of the Bondi shooting(Image: )
“Six-year-old Summer was sheltered by a brave young woman called Natasha, while Matilda had tried to run back towards her mum and dad. Her father, Michael, told us about the moment he saw her and realised that she’d been shot.”
In a pre-recorded interview, Michael explained: “I crawled across the chairs back to where we were sitting and that’s when I saw her, she was wounded on the ground. I could see that there was one of those monsters standing somewhere further out of the grass.
“I took off my shirt, stayed low, covering Matilda, and took off my shirt. She was still conscious. I talked to her, saying, ‘Calm down’. She was saying it was hard to breathe, and I put my shirt on her wound.”
Grieving parents Michael and Valentyna shared their heartbreak(Image: ITV)
Speaking to Kate live in the studio, Debbie reflected: “Kate, it was heartbreaking to hear them describe what they went through that day. Matilda died in hospital a few hours later, she was the youngest of 15 people to die that day.
“Today, the Australian Parliament has been recalled to debate new hate speech and gun laws, but Matilda’s parents believe that existing laws, if they had been in force, then this tragedy, their loss, may never have happened.”
Jewish community leaders have previously suggested the tragedy was an inevitable consequence of Australia’s failure to tackle rising antisemitism. The attack last month was the country’s deadliest incident since 1996, when a gunman killed 35 people during the Port Arthur massacre.
In other news on today’s GMB, Kate brought to light breaking news regarding US President Donald Trump’s criticism of the UK’s Chagos Islands deal. Meanwhile, Susanna and Ed delved into the Beckham family dispute following a shocking statement shared by eldest son, Brooklyn, on social media.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am
