British mum begs for release of only UK hostage in Gaza on October 7 anniversary

The British mother of the sole UK hostage still held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza has pleaded for governments to bring her daughter home.

Mandy Damari made her incredibly moving appeal at a commemorative event in Hyde Park, London, on Sunday, marking a year since the unspeakable atrocities carried out by Hamas during their attack on Israel on October 7.

Around 1,200 Israelis were killed, including 797 civilians and 36 children, and 251 others were taken hostage during the militant rampage, with Ms Damari’s daughter Emily among those taken.

Emily Damari, 28, a dual British-Israeli, was spoken about fondly by her distraught mother, who recalled how her daughter was an Ed Sheeran fan, foodie, London Zoo enthusiast and lover of Tottenham Hotspur football club.

Speaking with tears in her eyes, Mandy Damari bravely told the crowd on Sunday her beautiful Emily remains “in hell” in Gaza and that she had been “stripped of every human right”.

The British-Israeli 28-year-old, an Ed Sheeran fan, London Zoo enthusiast, foodie and Spurs supporter, with a mixed sense of classic British humour and “Israeli chutzpah”, had had her “joy and light locked away” for a year.

Ms Damari, who said her daughter had a British sense of humour mixed with “Israeli chutzpah”, said: “How is it that she (Emily) is still imprisoned there after one year?

“Why isn’t the whole world, especially Britain, fighting every moment to secure her release? She is one of their own but her plight seems to have been forgotten.

“My beautiful, funny and brave daughter, who I love to the moon and back deserves to come home. I need to hug her again. I need to see her smile.

“I know we could and should be doing more. I and everyone else has failed her and the only way to make us all feel whole again is to get Emily and all the 101 hostages back to their families.”

Last week Ms Damari, 68, a nursery school teacher from South London, handed a note to the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging him to do everything in his power to get it delivered to her daughter in Gaza.

Ms Damari herself has been tirelessly travelling the globe trying to drum up support among officials to help negotiate the return of her beloved daughter.

During the Hamas attack on October 7, Emily was staying at the Kfar Aza kibbutz close to the Gaza border when the terrorists stormed the complex.

The sick thugs shot dead Emily’s beloved golden cockapoo dog, Choocha, as she held the pet in her arms and left Emily with a gunshot wound to her hand.

Hamas killed 64 people during the massacre, including men, women, the elderly and children, before they snatched 19 people, including Emily, and dragged them back to their lair in Gaza.

Ms Damari continued: “Five are still held in Gaza, including my Emily. My beautiful, charismatic daughter, with the cheeky smile, was shot and taken by force from her home .

“Emily was taken, bleeding from her hand to Gaza by Hamas Nukkba terrorists, who blindfolded her and forced her into her own car with two other friends.

“I know from the women and children who came back last November, when the last ceasefire deal was reached, that Emily was alive.Some of them had met her while they were being moved around, some for short periods, some for longer.

“But they all told me about her bravery and courage and even her laughter and the way she helped hold everyone even in the worst times.”