British-Israeli Hostage Reveals Captivity In UN Facilities.
A British-Israeli woman held hostage by Hamas for 15 months has revealed that she was detained in United Nations facilities during her captivity.
Emily Damari, who was released earlier this month, disclosed during a phone call with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer that she was held at sites belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). She also recounted being denied medical treatment despite suffering gunshot wounds to her hand and leg.
Damari stated that while being held at an UNRWA facility, her captors provided her with only an out-of-date bottle of iodine to treat her injuries, which led to the loss of two fingers on her left hand.
In response, UNRWA described the allegations as “very serious” and reiterated its call for independent investigations into claims that Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, were misusing its facilities. The agency’s director of communications, Juliette Touma, noted that many of their buildings had been inaccessible for months and were being used as shelters for civilians.
Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of having personnel involved in the 7 October attacks and claims that Hamas used its buildings for military purposes. As a result, the Israeli government has announced plans to ban UNRWA from operating in the region.
During her conversation with the prime minister, Damari also expressed gratitude to people in the UK who campaigned for her release.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is expected to result in the gradual release of more hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Three more hostages are scheduled for release on Saturday, while 183 Palestinian prisoners are set to be freed.
The war, triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, has caused widespread devastation. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel and led to a military response that, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, has killed 47,460 Palestinians over 15 months.