Last remaining British hostage named by Hamas as one of three set to be released

The last remaining British hostage in Gaza has been named by Hamas as one of three people set to be released on Sunday.

A ceasefire deal, which promised the phased release of hostages as well as a pause in the 15-month Israel-Hamas war, was delayed on Sunday morning and came into force at 9.15am UK time.

Hostages

Hamas has named three hostages it plans to release, including British-Israeli Emily Damari, 28, who has been in captivity for 470 days.

A lawyer for her family said there has been no “independent verification” that she will be released.

Adam Rose told Times Radio: “No, we’ve not had any independent verification. I’ve seen what’s out in public, I’ve been in touch with the family, but not had specific confirmation yet, no.”

He said Ms Damari’s family are in an “impossible position”, adding: “Their daughter, their only daughter, now 28, was taken from her home on October 7 2023, she was injured in the process, and their world’s just been turned upside down while they’re waiting to find out what’s happened to their daughter.”

Mr Rose said the “ongoing torture” that the family have been through is “unimaginable”.

He told Times Radio: “I think the idea that a close family member of yours, or of any of your listeners, is taken early in the morning from their home – I visited Emily’s little house on the kibbutz, bullet-ridden and burnt, last January – and it’s pretty unimaginable to think the terror she went through and the ongoing torture that her family has been put through for 470 days, almost 500 days now.”

Two other hostages, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher, are set to be released on Sunday.