**Hamas Held Woman at UN Facilities**
A British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for 15 months in Gaza claims she was kept at United Nations facilities. Emily Damari was freed earlier this month and says she was held at sites owned by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) has responded to these claims, saying they are “very serious”. The organization has also stated that it had repeatedly demanded independent investigations into allegations that Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, were misusing facilities. The Israeli government plans to ban Unrwa from operating in the country.
**Conditions for Hostages**
During her captivity, Ms Damari said she was not given proper medical care for her gunshot wounds. She lost two fingers and claimed that her captors only gave her an outdated bottle of iodine to treat her injuries. For many months, she and other hostages were unable to access Unrwa facilities.
**Response from UK**
A Downing Street spokeswoman welcomed the fact that Unrwa has agreed to investigate the usage of their facilities. Emily Damari also used this opportunity to thank people in the UK who campaigned for her freedom. As part of a ceasefire agreement, three more hostages will be released on Saturday, along with 183 Palestinian prisoners.
**Background**
Hamas took 251 hostages when it attacked Israel in October 2023, leading to a devastating war that killed about 1,200 people. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israel’s 15-month military offensive in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 47,460 Palestinians.