400 DAYS IN HELL
My daughter is the only British hostage left in Gaza – she’s been imprisoned for 425 days… I fear she’ll starve to death
Mandy describes her beloved daughter as 'a massive Spurs fan with a great British sense of humour'
THE desperate mum of the last British hostage in Gaza as issued a plea to get her home - and warned she could starve to death.
Emily Damari, 28, is believed to be one of around 50 captives still alive in terror tunnels 14 months ago by the gun-toting savages.
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Her mother Mandy spoke for the first time yesterday of her fears that the bubbly Spurs and Ed Sheeran fan could starve to death if Hamas continues to block humanitarian aid.
And she singled out Labour Foreign Secretary David Lammy for offering "warmth" during a meeting this week - but no action.
Kindergarten teacher Mandy, from Surrey, thanked politicians including PM Sir Keir Starmer, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform's Nigel Farage - who promised a personal plea to his pal Donald Trump.
But she went on to directly accuse Lammy of ignoring the hostages’ plight after giving the impression he would help.
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Mandy - speaking in London yesterday - said: "Regrettably, not all of my experiences this week have generated positive momentum.
“On Monday I spoke at the annual Labour Friends of Israel event in front of around 100 Labour MPs, including the Foreign Secretary.
“I used my time to repeatedly and specifically repeatedly ask for action on the hostage aid situation and I estimated that my call to action had been well received.
“A few hours after my speech however, the Foreign Secretary published a statement on the need for Israel to allow more aid into Gaza for the winter.
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“But there was no mention of the need to get any of that aid to Emily and the other hostages and no additional remarks have been made on the subject since then.
“I appreciate the Foreign Secretary’s warmth in our personal meeting, but I came for solutions - not sympathy."
Palestinian refugees beg Israel to take over Gaza and blame Hamas 'terrorists' for their hell
Emily’s beloved golden cockapoo, Choocha, was shot dead in her arms during the October 7 raid on the Kfar Aza kibbutz village during attacks which saw 1,200 killed and 251 kidnapped.
She was shot in the hand and suffered shrapnel wounds to the leg during the horror - but freed hostages later revealed she had bravely helped cheer up other captives in Gaza.
Mandy told a London news conference today: “I raised Emily - my youngest child and my only daughter - to love her British roots.
She’s a massive Spurs fan with a great British sense of humour and her house on the kibbutz was always a place where her friends would drop by for a cup of tea.
“Or at least they did until October 7, 2023..
“She is now the last remaining British hostage being held by Hamas.
“The last I heard that Emily was alive was eight months ago and I still believe that she is with us today.
“Hostages are being held in the tunnel networks in shocking conditions without any shred of compassion or mercy.
“Any number of causes could kill Emily: disease, starvation, dehydration, torture, execution or friendly fire.
“She also faces the threat of sexual assault as Hamas has a record of using rape as a weapon - the list of horrors goes on.
“Much more can be done to keep Emily and the other hostages alive while they are in captivity otherwise they will all die the most painful and tragic deaths imaginable.”
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Labour has resumed support for the UN’s Palestinian aid agency in Gaza - despite evidence suggesting its workers joined the October 7 attacks.
Starmer’s government has also warned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu he could ”hypothetically” be arrested if he sets foot in the UK after a war crime warrant was issued.
Hamas have blocked - or stolen - all aid ferried to the hostages during the Gaza war and only around 50 are now believed to be alive amid appalling squalor, danger and deprivation
Mandy issued a heartbreaking direct plea to Emily’s Hamas captors yesterday.
She begged: “I want them to treat her with dignity and respect - if she is thirsty give her something to drink, if she’s hungry give her something to eat…just keep her alive.
She added: “Britain has played an essential role in getting aid into Gaza, which I fully support but some of that aid must finally reach my daughter and the other hostages.
“The hostages are fighting tooth and nail to stay alive but they cannot survive another winter with only our thoughts and prayers.
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“Emily and I loved coming to London together around Christmas time seeing all the lights and without her here it is another painful reminder of what I’ve lost.
“I want to thank you all for making me believe that she will make it back from hell and that next Christmas season we can come back to London together.”
When will the hostages be freed?
ISRAEL confirmed it would offer more than $300 million for the safe return of hostages still in Gaza.
Netanyahu said Palestinians in Gaza who helped recover the 63 captives would be paid $5 million for each person returned without harm.
He said: “Whoever brings us a hostage will find a safe way out for himself and his family."
The Israeli leader also issued a chilling warning, during a visit to the Strip with new defence minister Israel Katz on November 20, to those keeping hostages captive.
He added: “Whoever dares to harm our hostages will pay the price.
“We will pursue you and we will find you.”
And Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Hamas if they do not release the hostages by the time he takes office.
The President-elect shared the extraordinary threat and said there would be "all hell to pay" in the Middle East.
an ultimatum to Hamas if they do not release the hostages by the time he takes office.
The President-elect shared the extraordinary threat and said there would be "all hell to pay" in the Middle East.
A total of 251 hostages were snatched and taken into Gaza and 63 are believed to still be in captivity.
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