The freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari spoke to Keir Starmer on Friday and told the prime minister Hamas held her in facilities belonging to the UN refugee agency Unrwa, her mother, Mandy, has said.
Damari, 28, who was released 12 days ago, after more than 15 months in captivity in Gaza, with two fingers missing, also told Starmer that Hamas had denied her access to medical treatment after shooting her twice.
In response, Unrwa said claims that hostages had been held in its premises were “very serious”.
Its spokesperson Juliette Touma told the BBC the UN agency, which was set up to support the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees, and has brought in about 60% of the food aid that has reached Gaza since the war began, did not have access to several of its facilities for many months. “The vast majority of our buildings were turned into shelter when the war started. There was also very, very little supplies and assistance that the agency could give them.”
She added: “We’ve been calling for the release of hostages for months on end … these claims that hostages have been held in Unrwa premises, even if they were vacated, are absolutely serious. We’ve repeatedly called for independent investigations into these claims, including the misuse and disregard of Unrwa premises by Palestinian armed groups. That also includes Hamas.”
An Israeli law banning the activities of Unrwa in Israel came into force on Thursday and international staff were forced to leave, a decision the agency predicted would “sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition” and critics say will jeapardise urgent humanitarian aid efforts in the region.
The Israeli government has accused Unrwa, which enjoys widespread international support and has more than 30,000 staff, of employing 190 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, and 12 people who took part in the 7 October 2023 attacks. The agency fired nine employees after an investigation but denied knowingly aiding armed groups.
Damari and her mother gave the prime minister an update about Damari’s condition on Friday, and the conditions she lived under while she was held hostage, and then urged Starmer to ensure the Red Cross have access to hostages still being held in Gaza.
“It’s a miracle that she survived, and we need to get aid to remaining hostages now,” her mother posted on X, along with a photograph of her holding the phone for her daughter to speak into.
Damari was taken from her home in Kfar Aza kibbutz on 7 October and shot in the hand, then “blindfolded and forced into her own car with two other friends”, her family has said previously.
Both Damari and her mother thanked Starmer for the government’s help bringing about her release on 19 January, and her mother said the prime minister invited Damari to visit Downing Street when she has recovered.
