Parliament wants them home: The MPs ‘twinning’ with our hostages - The Jewish Chronicle

For Jews the world over, the passing of time in the hostage crisis increases our worry and makes it more and more difficult to hold out hope. It also makes their ever-worsening plight gradually fade from the consciousness of the wider public.

The “Twin a Hostage” campaign, which encourages politicians and community groups to become the “voice” for individual Hamas captives, was created with this in mind.

Launching the campaign at the Houses of Parliament, Nivi Feldman, the co-lead of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK and the main force behind the scheme, said: “Through MPs, we can reach the national press, other MPs, have the topic raised in Parliament and suggest policies.

Sarah Sackman with Arbel Yehoud[Missing Credit]

“Our message is clear: we need to get out of the Jewish echo chamber. Our goal is to get parliamentarians to take meaningful steps and [pursue] tangible ways in which to support the hostages.

“Hopefully, if MPs come to know the hostages and their families, they’ll be a bit more involved and invested [in the cause].”

Community groups and organisations can also request to twin with a hostage.

Sponsoring the event, Matthew Patrick, the Labour MP for Wirral West who was paired with British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, 28, said: “I would ask anyone to sign up and twin with a hostage. The resources are there to make it as straightforward as possible. Collectively, we have a much larger voice.”

Among the other MPs to have twinned with a hostage so far are: Steve Reed with Eli Sharabi, Luke Akehurst with Keith Samuel Siegel, Sarah Sackman with Arbel Yehoud, Johanna Baxter with Yossi Sharabi, Jack Rankin with Avinatan Or, Steve Yemm with Omer Neutra, John Grady with Doron Steinbrecher, Sharon Hodgson with Idan Shtivi, Jessica Toale with Ariel Cunio, Chris Elmore with Oz Daniel, and Damien Egan with Tsachi Idan.

Sarah Sackman MP speaks during the launch of the Hostage-MP twinning scheme (Credit: Adam Wagner)Adam Wagner

To join, MPs, community groups or influencers only need to contact the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Feldman will then ensure that person or group knows their twin’s story, receives updates about them and establishes contact with the hostage’s family if that is mutually agreed.

Feldman says the hope is for more and more “twins” to join over time.

Steve Yemm with Omer Neutra[Missing Credit]

“We need all the help and every voice we can get to speak about this today, every voice is important,” Feldman said. “It has been over 430 days [since the hostages were taken]; the families need to know they have mainstream support.”

Sackman, MP for Finchley and Golders Green said it “pains” her to have to continue to hold meetings calling attention to the hostages’ plight. “But we will continue to have them for as long as it is needed, and we will do what we can in this place to amplify your stories tonight.”

Mandy Damari, mother of 28-year-old Emily, the last remaining British hostage in Gaza, shared her testimony with those present at the launch.

Dr Sharone Lifschitz, whose parents were both taken hostage and whose mother Yocheved has since been released; Stephen Brisley, whose sister and nieces were murdered on October 7; and Sharon Sharabi, whose two brothers were taken hostage, were also present and shared the stories of their family members. Adam Rose and Adam Wagner, lawyers representing the families of British hostages, also spoke.

Nationals from 22 countries make up over 100 hostages still held by Hamas, including eight with family connections to the UK besides Emily, who is the one British national.

Since the launch, negotations for a hostage release have resumed, with Israel’s foreign minister saying that he was now “more optimistic” about the prospect of a deal.

To get involved, visit: https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/ or click here