Emily Damari’s plight must be placed front and centre

The rally held on Sunday outside the Tottenham Hotspur stadium to raise awareness of the plight of Emily Damari, the British hostage being held by Hamas in Gaza, was especially poignant given that she is a passionate Spurs fan. Those present sang “She’s one of our own” – referring not just to her club but to her being a fellow Brit.

Such rallies matter. At the most basic level they show that Emily has not been forgotten by the community. And we will never forget her until, please God, she is safely home with her family and friends.

But even more than that, it is so important to her cause that Emily is front and centre of international efforts to see all the remaining hostages released. That means that the British government – particularly Foreign Secretary David Lammy – must be focused on doing everything in their power to help. In that context it is right that Mr Lammy has written in this week’s JC that Emily and her mother Mandy “do not need our sympathies. What they need is for us to make every effort to save Emily’s life. That’s why securing the safe release of all hostages, including Emily and those with strong UK-links, is a top priority for the Government.”

Of course the British government alone cannot secure her release. But the government can certainly help ensure that Emily Damari becomes a household name – and that the campaign for her release is a national, rather than simply communal, campaign.