A former hostage of Hamas, Emily Damari, and other hostage families have launched a scathing rebuke of Prime Minister Keir Starmer after he announced that he plans to recognise a Palestinian state in September if Israel does not reach a ceasefire with Hamas, describing it as a ‘reward for terror’.

Emily, a British-Israeli citizen who was held hostage by Hamas for 471 days, said recognition under these conditions embolden extremists and undermine any hope for genuine peace.

In a post on social media, Emily said Keir Starmer is sending a dangerous message:

“As a Dual British-Israeli citizen who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity, I am deeply saddened by your decision Keir Starmer to recognise Palestinian statehood. This move does not advance peace—it risks rewarding terror. It sends a dangerous message: that violence earns legitimacy.

“By legitimising a state entity while Hamas still controls Gaza and continues its campaign of terror, you are not promoting a solution; you are prolonging the conflict. Recognition under these conditions emboldens extremists and undermines any hope for genuine peace. Shame on you.”

Emily was kidnapped from her home in the Kfar Aza kibbutz during the Hamas massacre on October 7th 2023. She was shot in the leg and hand, resulting in the loss of two fingers. She was one of 30 hostages released in January this year as part of a temporary ceasefire.

Emily’s condemnation of Starmer’s plan was echoed by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of those still being held captive in Gaza, saying the move to recognise a Palestinian state is a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes.

“Recently, we’ve seen an increase in initiatives calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state – all while 50 hostages have been held captive by Hamas for 663 days. Recognizing a Palestinian state while 50 hostages remain trapped in Hamas tunnels amounts to rewarding terrorism. Such recognition is not a step toward peace, but rather a clear violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimizes horrific war crimes.”

The group also said that if the international community truly desires peace, they must join the US efforts in first demanding the release of all hostages:

“The abduction of men, women, and children, who are being held against their will in tunnels while subjected to starvation and physical and psychological abuse, cannot and should not serve as the foundation for establishing a state. If the international community truly desires peace, it must join U.S. efforts by demanding first the release of all hostages, followed by an end to the fighting.

“Recognition of a Palestinian state before the hostages are returned will be remembered throughout history as validating terrorism as a legitimate pathway to political goals. The essential first step toward ensuring a better future for all peoples must be the release of all hostages through a single, comprehensive deal.

Adam Wagner KC, an experienced human rights lawyer who has acted for the families of British-linked hostages of Hamas in Gaza, said, “For almost two years, the British hostage families have encouraged the UK to use any leverage it has to help secure the release of their loved ones.

“They have sat in 10 Downing Street with successive Prime Ministers and Foreign Secretaries who have looked them in the eyes and promised the UK will do everything in its power to secure the immediate and unconditional release of their loved ones, whose detention is unambiguously a war crime.

“We are concerned that the UK’s proposal risks delaying the release of the hostages.”

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