Mother of only British hostage in Gaza fears for her life

The mother of the only British-Israeli hostage being held by Hamas has described her increasing fears for her daughter’s life after more than 400 days in captivity.

Emily Damari, 28, was taken by Hamas from her home in southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

“I fear that she’s dead,” her mother Mandy told the BBC in her first television interview. “And if she’s not dead, she’s not getting enough food to eat, she’s not able to wash herself, drink water, she could be ill.”

“She’s suffering from gunshot wounds to her hand and her leg… I worry every day, I worry every second because in the next second, she could be murdered, just because she’s there.”

Mandy Damari, who was born in Surrey, called on the British government to do more to ensure humanitarian supplies go to the hostages while negotiations continue for their release.

She also welcomed US President-elect Donald Trump’s statement that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages were not released before he takes office in January, saying: “It made me a bit more optimistic”.

Hamas gunmen shot Emily and killed her dog when they attacked Kibbutz Kfar Aza almost 14 months ago.

Mandy also hid as Hamas stormed her home and was only saved when one of the bullets jammed the lock of the room she was hiding in.

About 1,200 people were killed that day, while Emily and 250 others were taken back to Gaza as hostages.

The US, Egypt and Qatar have spent months working on a deal to secure the release of the 97 remaining hostages in return for a ceasefire in Gaza. But the negotiations have stalled, with Hamas and Israel blaming each other for the impasse.

Without directly mentioning Hamas or Gaza, Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday: “Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire world, in the Middle East – but it’s all talk, and no action!”

“If the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against humanity,” he warned.

Mrs Damari said the post “gave me a bit of hope that maybe someone does really care about what’s going on there”.

“Someone has to do something and take strong action to get them released. And that’s the strongest thing I’ve heard anyone say for a long time.”

She said she hoped Trump would do everything in his power to get her daughter and the other hostages released.

Mrs Damari – who describes her daughter as a Spurs football fan who loves coming to the UK to visit family, go shopping and visit pubs – is disappointed with the British government.

She is currently in the UK meeting political leaders, including the prime minister.

But she described the government’s recent decision to back a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as not doing enough to ensure the release of the hostages. The draft did demand their release, but it was vetoed by the US, which said it did not make that a precondition for a ceasefire.

“I felt really like they were stabbing me in the heart. There was no prerequisite to release the hostages… It was basically signing a death warrant for her [Emily], because if there’s a ceasefire with no release of the hostages, the hostages will stay there forever,” Mrs Damari said.

She now wants them to do more.

“I really need the British government if they are not able to get her released immediately, at least to get her humanitarian aid or a sign of life, and let me know what’s happening with that, because I’m desperate for a sign of life.”

She added: “We talk about humanitarian aid all the time to Gaza, but I don’t hear about humanitarian aid for the hostages who are held in despicable conditions. I’m desperate to get humanitarian aid into her, for someone to see her. It’s a human right to allow to allow people to see what’s happening to her.”

Mrs Damari initially did not speak out publicly about her daughter because she trusted the governments and negotiators to get her released. But now she wants the British public to understand a dual citizen is being held.

“She is the only British hostage being held… and I want people to help me to get her out, to be her voice because she can’t call out for herself. She has no voice.”

More than 44,500 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched a military campaign in response to the 7 October attack, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.