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Mother of freed British hostage thanks those who kept âfighting for Emilyâ
Emily Damari, 28, was held in captivity for more than 15 months.
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The mother of freed British hostage Emily Damari has thanked those who ânever stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordealâ after she was released by Hamas in the first step of a ceasefire agreement.
Ms Damari, 28, was held in captivity for more than 15 months in what was described as âongoing tortureâ for her family, and her release on Sunday was welcomed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as âwonderful and long-overdue news after months of agonyâ.
Her mother Mandy Damari, who grew up in Beckenham, south-east London, fiercely campaigned for her daughterâs freedom and in the wake of it has called for all Israeli hostages to be released.
Mandy Damari has campaigned for her daughterâs freedom (Jonathan Brady/PA)
PA Wire
She said in a statement on Sunday afternoon: âAfter 471 days Emily is finally home.
âI want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name. In Israel, Britain, the United States, and around the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home.
âWhile Emilyâs nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues. Every last hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home.
âWe ask that the media please respect Emilyâs and our familyâs privacy during this time.â
The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
She posted a photo on social media of her and her daughter video-calling loved ones, with the caption: âEmily is homeâ followed by a love heart emoji.
Sir Keir also remembered those who remain in captivity, saying today ârepresents another day of suffering for those who havenât made it home yetâ.
In a statement the Prime Minister said: âThe release of three hostages today is wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families.
âAmong them is British citizen Emily Damari, who will now be reunited with her family, including her mother Amanda who has never stopped her tireless fight to bring her daughter home.
âI wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced. We stand ready to offer assistance and support.
Emily Damari has been freed (Family/PA)
PA Media
âHowever, today also represents another day of suffering for those who havenât made it home yet â so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas.
âWe must now see the remaining phases of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of those remaining hostages and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
âThe UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a permanent and peaceful solution.â
Two other hostages, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were also released and the trio are now in Israel.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy welcomed their release, saying: âOur thoughts are also with those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the families of UK-linked hostages Eli Sharabi, Oded Lifshitz and Avinatan Or.
Sharone Lifschitz said she knew her father was alive in Gaza in late October 2023 but had heard no news of him since (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)
PA Media
âWe are clear the deal must be implemented in full; all hostages be returned and aid be allowed to flow into Gaza now.
âThis ceasefire must lead to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.â
Stephen Brisley, of south Wales, described the prospect of waiting for news about his hostage brother-in-law, Mr Sharabi, as âan exquisite tortureâ.
He and his family do not know whether Mr Sharabi, on the original list of 33 hostages to be released in the opening phase of the ceasefire deal, was still alive.
London-based film-maker Sharone Lifschitz said she knew her father, Oded, was alive in Gaza in late October 2023 but had heard no news of him since.
âHe was frail and he was shot in the hand,â she told BBCâs Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme. âHis chances are not great but we will know (soon).â
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said the UK is âhopefulâ about the ceasefire (Ben Whitley/PA)
PA Wire
Israel is expected to release around 90 Palestinian prisoners later on Sunday.
The release of the three hostages marks the first step in a ceasefire deal that UK politicians have described as âfragileâ.
Cabinet minister Darren Jones said the UK is âhopefulâ about the ceasefire, but added: âThereâs much more work to be done.â
Asked how confident he is that it will hold, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury told Times Radio: âWeâre certainly very hopeful. Itâs great that weâve gotten to this position where a ceasefire has begun.
âClearly itâs fragile, clearly thereâs much more work to be done. We want the hostages released back to Israel, for the fighting to stop, as we said, from the very start of this conflict.
âThen the most immediate priority will be making sure that the aid that has been put together is able to be released into Gaza to support the people who desperately are in need of it.
The ceasefire remains fragile and there is a long and challenging road ahead
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel
âThen we have that small window of opportunity, that hope that we might be able to get all the parties around the table once again, to focus on a permanent, two-state solution that could prevent this type of war and terrorism from returning to the region in the future.â
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said she was ârelievedâ to see the return of the first hostages â âthese three incredibly brave young womenâ.
In a statement posted on social media, she said: âThe ceasefire remains fragile and there is a long and challenging road ahead.
âNone of the hostages nor their families ever deserved to be put through this nightmare.
âEvery single hostage must be returned safely home and reunited with family and friends after 15 months of cruel captivity at the hands of Hamas.â
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