British-Israeli hostage says Hamas held her at UN facilities

A British-Israeli pistillate who was held hostage by Hamas successful Gaza for 15 months says she was detained for immoderate clip astatine United Nations facilities.

During a telephone telephone with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Emily Damari - who was released earlier this period - said she was held astatine sites belonging to the UN's bureau for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa).

She besides said she was denied aesculapian attraction during her captivity, contempt being changeable successful the manus and leg.

In a statement, Unrwa said claims that hostages had been held connected UN premises were "very serious" and that it had repeatedly called for autarkic investigations into claims Palestinian equipped groups, including Hamas, were misusing the facilities.

Israel has repeatedly accused unit from Unrwa of being progressive successful the 7 October attacks and said that its buildings successful Gaza were utilized by Hamas. The Israeli authorities plans to prohibition the organisation from operating.

During the telephone with Downing Street, Ms Damari said that portion being held astatine an Unrwa facility, her captors lone provided her with an out-of-date vessel of iodine to dainty gunshot wounds successful her limb and her near hand, connected which she mislaid 2 fingers.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Unrwa's manager of communications Juliette Touma was asked astir Ms Damari's claims. She said: "For many, galore months we did not person entree to respective of our facilities.

"So the immense bulk of our buildings were turned into shelters erstwhile the warfare started.

"At immoderate constituent we had a cardinal radical successful those shelters."

A Downing Street spokesperson said they "welcome the information that Unrwa person said determination should beryllium an probe into the usage of their facilities".

Ms Damari, present 28, besides utilized the telephone with Sir Keir to convey radical successful the UK who campaigned for her release.

A ceasefire woody betwixt Israel and Hamas volition spot the gradual merchandise of hostages being held successful Gaza, successful speech for Palestinians detained successful Israeli prisons.

Three much hostages are acceptable to beryllium released connected Saturday, portion 183 Palestinian prisoners are expected to beryllium freed.

Some 251 hostages were taken by Hamas erstwhile it attacked Israel connected 7 October 2023, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people.

The onslaught triggered a warfare which has devastated Gaza. Israel's 15-month subject violative killed 47,460 Palestinians successful the territory, according to Gaza's Hamas-run wellness ministry.