The mother of freed British hostage Emily Damari has thanked those who “never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal” 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 “ongoing torture” for her family, and her release on Sunday was welcomed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as “wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony”.
Her mother Mandy Damari, who grew up in Beckenham, south-east London, fiercely campaigned for her daughter’s freedom and in the wake of it has called for all Israeli hostages to be released.
She said in a statement on Sunday afternoon: “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.”
She posted a photo on social media of her and her daughter video-calling loved ones, with the caption: “Emily is home” followed by a love heart emoji.
Sir Keir also remembered those who remain in captivity, saying today “represents another day of suffering for those who haven’t made it home yet”.
In a statement the Prime Minister said: “The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families.
“Among 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.
“I 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.
“However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven’t made it home yet – so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas.
“We 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.
“The UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a permanent and peaceful solution.”
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: “Our 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.
“We are clear the deal must be implemented in full; all hostages be returned and aid be allowed to flow into Gaza now.
“This ceasefire must lead to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.”
Stephen Brisley, of south Wales, described the prospect of waiting for news about his hostage brother-in-law, Mr Sharabi, as “an exquisite torture”.
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.
“He was frail and he was shot in the hand,” she told BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme. “His chances are not great but we will know (soon).”
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 “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”.
Dame Priti described the ceasefire deal as “vital”, telling Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “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.
“I think everyone will urge both sides to stick with the plan that has been outlined, recognising it’s difficult, it’s very sensitive. We need to see the hostages released in this first phase, others to come out and clearly then work together in a constructive way for a better future for the region.”
