Jack Rankin, Member of Parliament for Windsor, has raised the case of Avinatan Or, an Israeli hostage who was brutally captured by the Hamas terror group during the October 7th atrocities.
Rankin was twinned with Avinatan’s family as part of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK, and met with his family in December last year to hear their story.
Avinatan was abducted with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani during the Supernova music festival. Noa has since been released. Their capture was filmed by Hamas and shared widely on social media. This is the last his family have seen of him.
In his question, Jack Rankin MP asked:
“Today marks 467 days in captivity for Avinatan Or. Just one of the over 100 hostages Hamas still currently hold.
“Avinatan is my age – he has his whole life ahead of him.
“I felt the raw pain of his family when his mum, Ditza, a British citizen, shared her story with me as part of the ‘Twin a Hostage’ campaign.
“Can the Prime Minister assure me he is doing everything in his power to ensure all the hostages are returned? So Avinatan can be at home where he belongs, with Ditza and his girlfriend Noa.”
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer replied:
“I thank him for raising this case.
“It's appalling that Hamas continue to detain Avinatan and other hostages, including Emily Damari.
“And I know he spent time with the families and it is nothing short of torture, what they are going through.
“And we will do absolutely everything in our power to ensure that we make progress in bringing these hostages home. And I'm sure I speak for everybody in the House, but we will do everything to try and make sure that we get those hostages home.”
Commenting, Nivi Feldman, Leader of Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK said:
"It is deeply moving to see Jack Rankin MP raise Avinatan’s case in Prime Minister’s Questions, bringing critical attention to the ongoing plight of the hostages. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK is incredibly grateful for his efforts and his solidarity with the families.
“Our MP Twin with a Hostage campaign ensures that every hostage’s story is heard, and their families know they are not alone. By standing with Avinatan’s family, MPs like Jack Rankin are shining a light on this humanitarian crisis and demonstrating the power of advocacy and compassion.
“We thank him for his commitment to this vital cause."
