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'It nearly broke my heart': Mother of British hostage Emily Damari blasts Downing Street over vetoed Gaza deal
3 December 2024, 07:04 | Updated: 3 December 2024, 07:28
The mother of Emily Damari, the last remaining British citizen being held hostage in Gaza, has pleaded with Sir Keir Starmer to help bring her daughter home.
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Looking back on the harrowing events of October 7, Mandy Damari recounted her experience exclusively with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast.
Hitting out at Downing Street, she expressed how an early draft of a Gaza ceasefire deal "nearly broke my heart" for not including a clause demanding the return of all hostages - a deal that was signed by the UK but vetoed by the US.
She also told Nick of her disappointment that the British government has so far failed to bring her daughter home, explaining how she has remained hopeful of Emily’s safety, 423 days after she was taken hostage.
On 7 October 2023, Hamas operatives invaded Emily’s house in Israel, shot her dog, then shot and injured the 28-year-old, before blindfolding and kidnapping her in her own car.
They then drove her into Gaza, where she has remained captive ever since.
Nick Ferrari speaks to Mandy Damari, the mother of the last Brit held hostage in Gaza | Watch in full
Speaking of her meeting with the PM and foreign secretary David Lammy, Ms Damari told LBC: “Hopefully, they will get Emily released and the other hostages released as quickly as possible.
“And if they can't get them released, at least get them humanitarian aid, because up to now they haven't been able to do so.”
Ms Damari expressed her “disappointment” that a ceasefire deal backed by the UK did not include the full return of all hostages.
“I'm really disappointed because we were on a ceasefire when Emily was taken,” she said.
“She was taken from her home, from her bed. And people seem to have forgotten what happened on the 7th of October immediately. So, yes, I'm very disappointed.
“The last decision of the British government to agree to a ceasefire without putting in a condition to release the hostages really did shock me and nearly broke my heart.
“It really could have signed a death warrant for Emily and it was lucky that the US vetoed it. And the decision, the motion didn't go through.”
As the festive season approaches, Ms Damari has found it harder than ever to be without her daughter, telling Nick she “can’t believe it’s been more than a year” since Emily was taken.
She said that should Emily return, a "40 second hug" would be her first course of action - a longstanding daily routine the mother and daughter had.
Pleading with the British government, she added: “I hope that they will take more action to positive action when they're talking about a ceasefire in Gaza to make sure that the hostages are released as a condition of that and not just say there's a ceasefire and not talk about hostages.
“And if they can't do that before the ceasefire happens, at least get humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Emily has been spotted alive by other hostages, who have since been released, several times since abduction.“She was still strong even though she'd been wounded in her hand.
“They actually said if Emily wasn't there, they don't know how they would have coped because she is such a strong person.”
Ms Damari is firm in the belief that her daughter is still alive, describing the signs she sees in everyday life that the “funny and very opinionated” Emily will return home safe.
“She's my only daughter amongst three boys and she keeps us all together.
“She's very tough. Well, she was very tough.
“I don't know how tough she is now, but on the 7th of October, she was tough.
“She's my daughter, and I have to keep going. She is my life. She's everything and I can't stop until she comes back.
“I have to keep fighting for her. Anybody who has a child knows that they will never stop fighting for their. For their child.”
Thousands of people have thrown their support behind Ms Damari, including supporters of Tottenham Hotspur football club, who often chant Emily’s name during matches.
Ms Damari told Nick: “I am Jewish, but I'm not religious, but I'm sort of spiritual. I always look for signs. Maybe Emily's still alive. She's a Tottenham supporter.
“And when we just came in now into reception, there was a man in reception with a Tottenham shirt. No, he didn't have a Tottenham. He had this, like, security pass, and he was attached to a Tottenham lanyard. Is it? Yeah, yeah. So.
“I see that as a sign, you know, okay, Emily is here with us, and she's still alive.”
“I believe. I feel that she's still alive. I feel it every morning.
“She's my daughter and I just feel that she's alive and she's there.
“Otherwise there would be no signs. And there are.”
Ms Damari said the first thing she will do when she is reunited with her daughter is give her a hug for exactly 40 seconds,
“First thing I'll say to her is, I've missed you so much. And I will give her a hug for 40 seconds because we always used to hug every day for 40 seconds because they say that's the way oxytocin passes from one to another. So a 40-second hug is the first thing I'll do.”
Following their meeting, Keir Starmer said: “Everyone here who heard Mandy's speech, will be moved today as I have been. The events of October 7 are a terrible reminder that in the one place [Israel] that the world promised Jews will be protected, they are still not safe.“There’s sexual violence and the unknown for those in captivity, including British families… Will they ever come home?”
He added: “The UK position towards the ceasefire has not changed. There is no ceasefire worthy of the name without the return of the hostages.”
