The mother of the last British hostage freed from Gaza on Sunday has expressed gratitude to supporters worldwide for their help over the past 15 months, while urging continued focus on the 94 Israelis still held captive.
British-Israeli Emily Damari was set free on Sunday alongside Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher after delays to a ceasefire deal which secured the phased release of those in captivity as well as a pause in the Israel-Hamas war.
The 28-year-old’s mother, Mandy Damari, who grew up in Beckenham, south-east London, said: “After 471 days Emily is finally home. I 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. While Emily’s 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. We ask that the media please respect Emily’s and our family’s privacy during this time.”
Emily Cohen, who represents Ms Damari’s family, said earlier in the afternoon: “These final few hours have been the most agonising that you can imagine, after nearly 500 days of unending torment for Mandy and all the other families.”
She reiterated pleas to respect Mandy Damari’s privacy, adding: “I know she wants everyone to know how deeply grateful she is to the British public, MPs, football supporters and strangers from around the world, who have been praying and campaigning for Emily’s release.”
Stephen Brisley, whose brother-in-law is also a hostage, bonded with Ms Damari’s family over their shared experiences, and said he cried when he saw she had been named as one of the hostages to be released.
Mr Brisley, who is originally from Bristol but lives in South Wales, told the PA news agency: “I’m not ashamed to say that I shed more than a few tears a couple of hours ago when it was confirmed, particularly that Emily was coming out, because I have that personal connection with Mandy, her mum, and have spent time with her and with members of her wider family, her aunt and uncle.
“I know what this means to them, and so I’m incredibly pleased and joyous for them.”
The release of the three hostages marks the first step in a ceasefire deal that UK politicians have described as “fragile”.
Cabinet minister Darren Jones said the UK is “hopeful” about the ceasefire, but added: “There’s much more work to be done.”
Asked how confident he is that it will hold, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury told Times Radio: “We’re certainly very hopeful. It’s great that we’ve gotten to this position where a ceasefire has begun.
“Clearly it’s fragile, clearly there’s 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.
“Then 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.
“Then 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.”
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel urged all parties to “stick with the plan that has been outlined”.
She told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “The three hostages, Emily is clearly one of them, and her mother, Mandy – many of us have met Mandy, we know the family – but just the sheer anxiety and apprehension that they’ll be feeling, it’s just extraordinary.”
Dame Priti went on to describe the ceasefire deal as “vital”, adding: “All parties are calling for it. Countries are calling for it. There’s a lot of hope that is really linked to this new deal and framework.”
