A nightmare ..day by day

This is Emily Damari at a Spurs game... months before being taken hostage from her home in Israel a year ago today. As the world reflects on the tumult, death and destruction since that day, Emily's mum is still fighting for her

- CHRIS HUGHES

VICTIMS, survivors and relatives are reflecting today on the first anniversary of the worst-ever terrorist attack on Israel.

A year ago, Hamas killers slaughtered some 1200 Israelis and kidnapped 250, dozens of whom are still held inside the Gaza Strip.

One of the hostages is 28-year-old Emily Damari, whose British mum Mandy spoke of her fears her daughter has been forgotten amid the escalating violence in the Middle East.

Nursery teacher Mandy, 63, from Surrey, said: "It is breaking my heart a little, day by day. Soon there will be nothing left of my heart - or Emily."

Mandy has lobbied the British government to do everything it can to free her daughter, who was shot in the hand during the attack.

She said: "Diplomatic pressure, negotiations, humanitarian efforts - whatever it takes.

"We cannot let another day pass. We cannot afford to lose any more lives to this nightmare.

"We don't need tea and sympathy, we need actions not words."

Emily was taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, close to the Gaza Strip. Israel's onslaught in response to October 7 has so far killed almost 42,000 Palestinians in the Strip and injured or displaced many thousands more.

The conflict has now moved to Lebanon, after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel.

Iran is also braced for strikes which have been approved by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Many of the dead on October 7, 2023, were attending the Nova music festival at Re'im, close to the border with Gaza.

One survivor of the festival attack, Maya Alper, 25, is now living in Guatemala, 7500 miles away.

She recalls hiding in terror in a bush as Hamas gunmen slaughtered her friends, waiting for six hours until Israeli troops arrived.

Famously, she recorded a video celebrating her survival, saying: "I am so f***ing proud of myself..." as soldiers came to her rescue.