The mother of the only British hostage yesterday asked the Prime Minister why he backed a motion to end the war in Gaza without freeing her daughter.
Mandy Damari, 63, said she felt ‘betrayed’ when the UK government supported a UN Security Council resolution calling for an ‘unconditional’ end to the fighting.
It did not state that the release of the hostages must be a condition for peace which effectively ‘signs a death warrant’ for her 28-year-old daughter, Emily.
Ms Damari told the Mail last month how she had asked Sir Keir Starmer to do ‘far more’ for her child – but just weeks later he broke his word.
The Surrey-born mother said she was ‘extremely disappointed’ given the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy both personally promised to fight for Emily.
‘They said one thing to me, and then did another,’ she told the Mail. ‘Maybe they talk behind closed doors about her, but supporting this UN motion shows that when it comes down to it, they are not doing enough to get her home alive.
‘This decision basically signs a death warrant for her if there is no demand for a hostage release at the same time as a ceasefire.
‘My daughter should be returned home alive now before it’s too late for her and she comes back to me in a body bag.’
Yesterday, Mandy Damari raised the decision privately with Sir Keir and David Lammy at a Labour Friends of Israel lunch at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Westminster
Tottenham Hotspur fan Emily was taken from her home of Kibbutz Kfar Aza near the Gaza border on October 7 last year
Emily grew up a Tottenham fan, enjoyed British music and ‘loved going to the pub’
Mandy Damari, 63, pictured, said she felt ‘betrayed’ when the UK government supported a UN Security Council resolution calling for an ‘unconditional’ end to the fighting
Yesterday Ms Damari raised the decision privately with Sir Keir and Mr Lammy at a Labour Friends of Israel lunch at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Westminster.
She also mentioned it in an emotional speech at the event, telling attendees: ‘That vote shocked me, and it broke my heart. Nobody is more supportive of peace than I am. Nobody.
‘But there is no peace until Emily and all the hostages are brought home.’
Ms Damari further called for the British government to lead efforts to get humanitarian aid to the 101 hostages who remain in Gaza.
Despite being held for over a year, not a single captive has been visited by Red Cross or UN workers.
Tottenham Hotspur fan Emily was taken from her home of Kibbutz Kfar Aza near the Gaza border on October 7 last year.
Her beloved golden cockapoo, Choocha, was shot dead, while the attack left her with a gunshot wound to the hand. Little has been heard of her since.
Ms Damari, a nursery teacher, said in her speech: ‘I want us to all take a moment and picture Emily right now, with all the physical and mental scarring that may never heal. Clothed in dirty rags, lice in her hair.
Mandy Damari, 63, and her 28-year-old British daughter Emily
Mandy Damari, pictured with Foreign Secretary David Lammy on December 2
Mandy Damari speaking at the Remembering October 7 memorial event in Hyde Park, central London
Mandy Damari previously described how her daughter, who has dual British-Israeli nationality, ‘adored coming to visit her family’ in Britain, having grown up in Israel
‘Probably still in pain from the gunshot wounds in her hand and leg that were not treated properly. Shivering and starving. Dehydrated. Ghostly pale.. Her breathing shallow. A bucket for a toilet, impossible to get away from the stench.
‘Watched over by people who want to murder or rape her. Terrified in every waking moment, and too scared to fall asleep. Fighting to stay alive, minute after minute, month after month. 423 days, with no end in sight. She is in hell.’
Ms Damari was seen embracing Mr Lammy afterwards, who she sat next to at the lunch. Later she posed for pictures with him and Sir Keir.
The PM responded to her points in his own address at the event. He said: ‘Mandy I want to be absolutely clear on the UN Security Council Resolution. The policy of this government towards a ceasefire has not changed.
‘There is no ceasefire worthy of the name, which does not, as item number one, include the return of all the hostages and that is what we are working for day and night.’
Ms Damari told the Mail afterwards that she was ‘very glad’ Sir Keir committed to the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages as a condition of any ceasefire.
She has also written to the King asking for his support, given the monarch is due to host the Amir of Qatar on a State Visit today.
Mandy Damari has stepped up her desperate campaign to get her daughter back
Mandy Damari is pictured hugging Emily in a heartwarming photo before she was kidnapped
Ms Damari learned Emily was still alive during the November ceasefire deal last year
The Gulf State hosts the leadership of Hamas and is seen as key to pressuring the terror group to release the hostages.
Ms Damari hopes to meet with the Qatari PM too, given they are both in London at the same time.
While the UN motion simultaneously called for the release of the hostages, it did not make doing so a condition of the ceasefire.
It would effectively give them the green light to pressure Israel into leaving Gaza without freeing the captives – meaning they would likely never be released.
America used its veto to block the motion, which was backed by the 14 other members, citing concerns over the captives.
Ms Damari was left ‘upset’ after Mr Lammy posted on social media hours after they met demanding Israel give more aid to Gaza without mentioning her daughter.
The Foreign Secretary did not mention he had even met Emily Damari’s mother yesterday but tweeted to call on Jerusalem to ‘send equipment to guard against cold & flooding’ to Gaza.
Ms Damari said: ‘Immediately after promising again to fight for Emily, David Lammy took to Twitter to write about the plight of the Palestinians without mentioning Emily or the hostages.
‘Emily is suffering from malnutrition, cold and hunger but he didn’t see the need to mention her once. It is upsetting and disappointing.’
