'My voice cracked!' Farage holds back tears after contacting mother of freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari
Emily Damari, 28, returned to Israel today after being taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7
Nigel Farage has made contact with the mother of the now-released British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari.
Damari, 28, was one of three hostages released by Hamas following a ceasefire deal signed off by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Farage met Damariās mother in the Houses of Parliament last month in an attempt to raise awareness for the 28-year-old.
Speaking just hours after her release, the Reform UK leader told the Peopleās Channel: āIām delighted. I just sent a voicenote to Mandy, the mother."
Holding back the tears, Farage added: āIād say my voice cracked halfway through it because what can you say?
āItās great news. She looks okay. I feel for her, I feel for the mother.
āDo you know why I feel for her so much? Nobody knew there was a British hostages. No one was prepared to stand up and speak, so I met her [Mandy Damari] in the House of Commons.
āI did my best to make people aware of what was happening. Iām thrilled for her. Goodness me, I felt for her.ā
Farage campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness for Damari, warning in December: āAlmost nobody knows that we have a British citizen being held captive.ā
He even slammed Foreign Secretary David Lammy for allegedly focusing on aid given to Gaza rather than Damariās plight.
Damari was released earlier today alongside 24-year-old Romi Goren and 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher.
The three women were abducted during Hamasās horrific October 7 attack in 2023.
The attack, which left 1,200 Israelis killed, saw the terror group snatch around 250 people and take them into captivity in Gaza.
Damari was in her own apartment in Kfar Aza kibbutz in Israel, just two miles from the Gaza border, when she was taken prisoner in 2023.
Hamas troops entered her home and shot her golden cockapoo Choocha dead, before taking her as hostage.
Damariās mother, Mandy, said that she was "shot in the hand, injured by shrapnel in her leg, blindfolded, bundled into the back of her own car" and driven into Gaza.
Following her release earlier today, Mandy said: āAfter 471 days Emily is finally home.
āI want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name.
āIn Israel, Britain, the United States, and around the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home.
āWhile Emilyās nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues.
āEvery last hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home.ā