UK Israeli hostage has been forgotten, says mum

The dual national is among 97 hostages who remain unaccounted for.

Speaking at the Hyde Park memorial event, her mother said: “[Emily] is a daughter of both countries, but no one here mentions the fact that there is still a female British hostage being held captive by Hamas for a year now, and I sometimes wonder if people even know there is a British woman there.

“Imagine, for a moment if Emily was your daughter. Try to picture what she is going through.

“Since 7 October last year, she has been held a hostage by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza terror tunnels, 20 metres or more underground, kept in captivity, tortured, isolated, unable to eat, speak or even move without someone else’s permission.”

The crowd heard how Emily, who was born to her British mother in Israel and lived there, loved to visit the UK – her “second home across the sea”. She loved watching Spurs play, going to the pub, shopping at Primark and had also watched Ed Sheeran in concert, her mother said.

Her mother pleaded with Britain and other countries to do more to secure the release of her daughter, and the other hostages.

“How is it that she is still imprisoned there after one year? Why isn’t the whole world, especially Britain, fighting every moment to secure her release? She’s one of their own.”