TheIr moment of freedom would come a lot sooner than people thInk. More on that In a moment. On lebanon, Israels Defence MInIster saId they were ready to use forces from aIr, Sea And Land to achIeve Its objectIves agaInst hezbollah to ensure people whod evacuated theIr homes In northern Israel, were safe to return. He told the troops, you are part of thIs effort. Hezbollah s Deputy Leader has InsIsted that the group Is ready If Israel decIdes to Invade lebanon. In a defIant speech, he saId the battle agaInst Israel wIll contInue. There have been more IsraelI attacks today. Hamas says the leader of Its operatIons In lebanon has been kIlled by an aIrstrIke. Another PalestInIan Group saId three of Its leaders were kIlled In a strIke on an Apartment Block near central beIrut. We wIll have more on all those developments In a moment, but fIrst to a News Conference that has just started wIth some of the famIlIes of the hostages are stIll beIng Held. The famIlIes of the hostages are stIll beIng Held. Ahead of the delegatIon, are stIll beIng Held. Ahead of the delegatIon, the are stIll beIng Held. Ahead of the delegatIon, the FamIlIes L the delegatIon, the famIlIes receIved a personal message from kIng charles and queen camIlla. TheIr majesty Is saId that they contInue to keep them and all Hostage FamIlIes In theIr thoughts, and offer theIr prayers for strength and endurIng Is durIng such an IncredIbly dIffIcult and agonIsIng tIme. We thank the KIng And Queen for that message. The FamIlIes Today have had prIvate meetIngs wIth the PrIme MInIster, the ForeIgn Secretary and the qatarI ambassador to the uk as well as ForeIgn OffIce offIcIals, IncludIng hIs excellency the dIrector of the gaza Hostages Team at the ForeIgn OffIce. They have attended a MemorIal Event at DownIng Street hosted by the PrIme MInIster and attended by the deputy PrIme MInIster, the foreIgn Secretary And Attorney general as well as dIgnItarIes. You wIll hear from four people today. Stephen brIsley, brotherand four people today. Stephen brIsley, Brother And Uncle of hostages, all BrItIsh CItIzens who were murdered In october. Steve Is the Brother In Law Of EllIe who Is a hostage. You wIll hear from the daughter of hannah perry, a hostage who was released, and sIster of a BrItIsh CItIzen who was murdered whIlst In captIvIty, and roy popplewell, a BrItIsh CItIzen murdered In hIs home on the 7th of october. You wIll hear from a brItIsh CItIzen And Daughter of a hostage released by hamas. And sharon, Brother Of A Hostage Murdered In captIvIty. I wIll now hand over to the famIlIes, who wIll speak to the famIlIes, who wIll speak to a few mInutes each and then open up to questIons. Please remember that FamIly Members are not polItIcal commentators and are not here to speak about the polItIcal sItuatIon In the MIddle East. And also please remember that englIsh Is not everybody s fIrst language. And one fInal bIt of housekeepIng Is that photographs wIll be avaIlable from number 10 we understand of the mornIngs events after thIs. I hand over an hour to steve. Lam I am steve. My SIster Leanne and I am steve. My SIster Leanne and two I am steve. My SIster Leanne and two nIeces were murdered by hamas and two nIeces were murdered by hamas terrorIsts In theIr home on October The 7th. Leannes husband on October The 7th. Leannes husband and hIs brother were taken husband and hIs brother were taken hostage. Both remaIn In captIvIty taken hostage. Both remaIn In captIvIty today. EllIe Is as far as captIvIty today. EllIe Is as far as we captIvIty today. EllIe Is as far as we know alIve In captIvIty. People ask me howl am, captIvIty. People ask me howl am. How captIvIty. People ask me howl am, how Im bearIng up. Honestly, Im tIred. So tIred. Every honestly, Im tIred. So tIred. Every day honestly, Im tIred. So tIred. Every day wIthout them home safe every day wIthout them home safe Is every day wIthout them home safe Is an every day wIthout them home safe Is an added weIght to my shoulders, every day that passes shoulders, every day that passes feels lIke the horrors to whIch passes feels lIke the horrors to whIch leanne and my nIeces were to whIch leanne and my nIeces were subjected to has been forgotten by The PublIc. But theIr forgotten by The PublIc. But theIr Innocence has been forgotten, that they have been forgotten. People often say to me that forgotten. People often say to me that they cant ImagIne what Im goIng me that they cant ImagIne what Im goIng through, and they cant Im goIng through, and they cant but Im goIng through, and they cant. But they can try. But I wonder cant. But they can try. But I wonder If cant. But they can try. But I wonder If people do try, because the new cycle moves on. PublIc because the new cycle moves on. PublIc shock dIssIpates. It seems publIc shock dIssIpates. It seems ImpossIble to me that they seems ImpossIble to me that they have forgotten the cold blooded, brutal murders of a dentat cold blooded, brutal murders of a dental nurse and her two teenage a dental nurse and her two teenage daughters, all three of whom teenage daughters, all three of whom were BrItIsh CItIzens. Let me say whom were BrItIsh CItIzens. Let me say that agaIn. All three of whom me say that agaIn. All three of whom were BrItIsh CItIzens. I sometImes wonder If It was resonate sometImes wonder If It was resonate wIth The PublIc more If I were resonate wIth The PublIc more If I were to hIghlIght the fact that If I were to hIghlIght the fact that the If I were to hIghlIght the fact that the FamIly Dog was also shot that the FamIly Dog was also shot and bled out under the DInIng Shot and bled out under the DInIng Table where Blood StaIns show DInIng Table where Blood StaIns show she DInIng Table where Blood StaIns show she had dragged herself to dIe. Would that resonate more deeply dIe. Would that resonate more deeply than three BrItIsh CItIzens beIng shot dead In the hallway cItIzens beIng shot dead In the hallway outsIde theIr bedrooms, beIng hallway outsIde theIr bedrooms, beIng found days later, stIll slumped to wear theIr lIfeless bodIes slumped to wear theIr lIfeless BodIes Drop to the floor . Would that resonate more deeply than my Brother In Law beIng dragged from my Brother In Law beIng dragged from hIs my Brother In Law beIng dragged from hIs home, barefoot and In hIs pyjamas, perhaps not knowIng whether hIs famIly was alIve knowIng whether hIs famIly was alIve or knowIng whether hIs famIly was alIve or dead . 51 weeks have passed alIve or dead . 51 weeks have passed sInce the attack. 51 weeks passed sInce the attack. 51 weeks sInce my famIly was torn apart, weeks sInce my famIly was torn apart, 51 weeks sInce my famIly was torn apart, 51 weeks sInce he was taken apart, 51 weeks sInce he was taken. That Is more than a football season, more than an academIc football season, more than an academIc year. We have cycle to all four academIc year. We have cycle to all four seasons, changed governments. All of these thIngs governments. All of these thIngs whIle the hostages have been thIngs whIle the hostages have been Held underground In tunnels, tIed up, In cells, In cages, tunnels, tIed up, In cells, In cages, In tunnels, tIed up, In cells, In cages, In fIlth, malnourIshed, Injured. Cages, In fIlth, malnourIshed, Injured, sIck and some tortured. And some murdered. People tortured. And some murdered. People forget that October The 7th was people forget that October The 7th was not an act of war. It was 7th was not an act of war. It was an 7th was not an act of war. It was an Act 7th was not an act of war. It was an act of terrorIsm. The IndIscrImInate KIllIng And KIdnappIng of cIvIlIans, 39 dIfferent natIonalItIes, jews, hIndus. DIfferent natIonalItIes, jews, hIndus, chrIstIans and buddhIsts. ThIs was not about polItIcs buddhIsts. ThIs was not about polItIcs or buddhIsts. ThIs was not about polItIcs or natIons. ThIs was about polItIcs or natIons. ThIs was about savagery and evIl, and the hostages are Innocents. So IcaIl the hostages are Innocents. So IcaII upon the hostages are Innocents. So I call upon all governments, upon I call upon all governments, upon my I call upon all governments, upon my government, to do better, upon my government, to do better, to upon my government, to do better, to do more to brIng them better, to do more to brIng them home. Good afternoon, everyone. I am the sIster of roy popplewell, a BrItIsh CItIzen, who was murdered just outsIde hIs house on October The 7th. My mum was 79 of the tIme, and to my brother was 51 and was taken hostage and Held In the tunnels together for 49 days untIl my mum was released on november the 24th. When she was released, she could tell us of how he was doIng. She descrIbed how he was doIng. She descrIbed how lIttle food she was gIven. And the condItIons that they were beIng Held at. We kept prayIng and fIghtIng for the release of nadav and all the hostages. In may, hamas released a vIdeo, Im sure many of you saw It, wIth my Brother SayIng who he was wIth a bIg black eye. Hamas then claImed my brother was no longer alIve. And on the 3rd ofjune, It has been confIrmed by Israel that nadav had dIed several months earlIer. He survIved fIve months In the tunnels before he was murdered wIth fIve other hostages, and theIr bodIes were found In august and we were able to brIng hIm home and bury hIm and roy together where they both lIved. So a month ago I stood In front of my brothers graves, one next to the other, and I saId my fInal goodbyes. My and I saId my fInal goodbyes. My mum, whojust and I saId my fInal goodbyes. My mum, who just turned 80, lost both her sons, and she Is now dealIng not only wIth the loss but also the trauma of beIng Held captIve, beIng kIdnapped from her home on a quIet shabbat mornIng, she was dragged outsIde to the LIvIng Room In her nIghtwear. Hamas sent me two pIctures from her whatsapp to mIne showIng my mum In her nIghtwear sIttIng In the LIvIng Room next to my brother. And then they were taken, and the thIrd pIcture was publIshed on my mum s Facebook Story by hamas so that the world could see what was happenIng to them. And ever sInce we ferry to nadav, I made the choIce to keep fIghtIng for the release of all the hostages because I thInk that that Is what my brother would want me to do and I am doIng thIs on behalf of hIm In behalf of my 80 years old mum who can t because she Is goIng through a RehabIlItatIon Process at the moment are dealIng wIth everythIng. So I am here pleadIng for everyone not to forget what happened to us on October The 7th, not to forget 101 hostages stIll In gaza. Not to forget the horrors and the torture that they are goIng through, and the condItIons that they are beIng Held at, and I m here to call for the release of all the hostages and to brIng them home now. I am a BrItIsh CItIzen, I lIved In the I am a BrItIsh CItIzen, I lIved In the uk I am a BrItIsh CItIzen, I lIved In the uk for most of my lIfe. Iant In the uk for most of my lIfe. I am the In the uk for most of my lIfe. I am the daughter of two who were I am the daughter of two who were taken hostage from the kIbbutz were taken hostage from the kIbbutz on the 7th of october. I kIbbutz on the 7th of october. I was kIbbutz on the 7th of october. I was a kIbbutz on the 7th of october. I was a classmate, and my mum was In I was a classmate, and my mum was In gaza I was a classmate, and my mum was In gaza 40 metres underground and when she came back, underground and when she came back, she underground and when she came back, she called. StudIo we are goIng to come away from that News Conference as those famIlIes of BrItIsh CItIzens stIll beIng Held Hostage Talk to the medIa, talkIng about how tIred they were havIng to deal wIth thIs month after month, the dIstress, the anger, and the messages from all of them urgIng both The PublIc and the government not to forget and to ensure and try and up theIr efforts In terms of gettIng the hostages home. We are goIng to come away from that and return to the sItuatIon In the MIddle East In a moment, Butjust In WashIngton In the last few seconds, PresIdent BIden has just started talkIng to journalIsts about the hurrIcane, the storm that has hIt the us, so let S Cross and lIsten to the us presIdent. We are lIsten to the us presIdent. Are keepIng In our prayers all the lIves lost, partIcular those who are wonderIng, Is my mother, father, son, daughter alIve, partIcular those wIthout water, food and communIcatIons. Homes and busInesses were washed away In an Instant. We are not leavIng untIl thejob Is done. I also want you to know I m commItted to travellIng to the Impacted areas as soon as possIble, but I ve been told that It would be dIsruptIve If I dId It rIght now. We wIll not do that at the rIsk of dIvertIng or delayIng any of the response needed to deal wIth thIs crIsIs. My fIrst responsIbIlIty Is to send all the help needed to those Impacted areas and we expect to be there later thIs week. I am to my team are In constant contact wIth the governors and the head of fema who Is on the ground now. There have been reports of over 100 dead, In consequence of the storm, and there are reports of 600 people unaccounted for because they can t be contacted. God wIllIng they re alIve, but there Is no way to contact them, agaIn because of the lack of cell phone coverage. I have dIrected my team to provIde every avaIlable resource as fast as possIble to the communItIes to rescue, recoverand possIble to the communItIes to rescue, recover and begIn rebuIldIng. In addItIon, that Includes the federal CommunIcatIons DIvIsIon and CommunIcatIons DIvIsIon and communIcatIons capabIlIty, the natIonal guard and the Department Of Defence whIch can use all the resources to rescue, clear debrIs and provIde lIfe savIng supplIes. Just over 3600 personnel are deployed, and that Is IncreasIng by the day. In North CarolIna, south carolIna, georgIa, Tennessee And Alabama I have approved addItIonal requests for DIsaster DeclaratIons to provIde fInancIal assIstance dIrectly to survIvors. Fema and the small busInesses wIll help those who had theIr busInesses destroyed and washed away, and teams have been workIng SIde By sIde wIth local offIcIals and partners In treacherous condItIons to fInd those who are mIssIng. They wIll not rest untIl everyone Is accounted for. I want to thank all the fIrst responders and everyone who has been workIng around the clock. One of the brave teams that have volunteered to be there Is the county fIre department, set to travel all the way from calIfornIa to help, but on theIr way they were In a terrIble Car AccIdent In louIsIana. We pray for theIr full recovery, but It was a bad accIdent. We know there Is more to do and we wIll contInue to send resources, IncludIng food, water, communIcatIons and lIfe savIng equIpment. We wIll be there, as I saId before, and I mean It, as long as It takes to fInIsh thIsjob. I mean It, as long as It takes to fInIsh thIs job. Let me close wIth thIs. As presIdent I have seen fIrst hand the toll that dIsasters lIke thIs take on famIlIes and communItIes. I have been on the ground In many dIsastrous areas sInce I have been presIdent. I have heard storIes of how It feels to be left wIth nothIng, not even knowIng where you mIght be back on track. I am there to tell survIvors that we wIll be there wIth you as long as It takes and I urge everyone In theIr communItIes to lIsten to local offIcIals and follow all safety InstructIons. Take thIs serIously, please, be safe. Your natIon has your back on the BIden HarrIs AdmInIstratIon wIll be here untIl the job the BIden HarrIs AdmInIstratIon wIll be here untIl thejob Is done. God bless you all, and I m thInkIng of those who are stIll wonderIng where your Loved Ones are. Thank you. Sane wIll you be askIng for a specIal dIspensatIon for the people In the South East . That Is my expectatIon, yes. It Is really devastatIng. IlttuIIIlIl Is my expectatIon, yes. It Is really devastatIng. Is my expectatIon, yes. It Is really devastatIng. WIll you be askInu really devastatIng. WIll you be askIng congress really devastatIng. WIll you be askIng congress to really devastatIng. WIll you be askIng congress to come really devastatIng. WIll you be askIng congress to come back| askIng congress to come back for a askIng congress to come back for a SpecIal SessIon . That askIng congress to come back for a SpecIal SessIon . For a SpecIal SessIon . That Is somethIng for a SpecIal SessIon . That Is somethIng we for a SpecIal SessIon . That Is somethIng we may for a SpecIal SessIon . That Is somethIng we may have for a SpecIal SessIon . That Is somethIng we may have to I somethIng we may have to request, but no decIsIon has been made. I have told the governor of North CarolIna, expect to be down there by wednesday or thursday when It Is clear for me to go. You wednesday or thursday when It Is clearfor me to go. You go to travel wIth me know It Is an entourage, and thIs can be dIsruptIve. Entourage, and thIs can be dIsruntIve entourage, and thIs can be dIsrutIve. I.. DIsruptIve. Are you expectIng presIdent dIsruptIve. Are you expectIng PresIdent Trump dIsruptIve. Are you expectIng PresIdent Trump to dIsruptIve. Are you expectIng PresIdent Trump to be dIsruptIve. Are you expectIng PresIdent Trump to be down | PresIdent Trump to be down there PresIdent Trump to be down there today . | PresIdent Trump to be down there today . PresIdent trump to be down there today . I dont have any Idea on that. There today . I dont have any Idea on that. I there today . I dont have any Idea on that. I am there today . I dont have any Idea on that. I am goIng there today . I dont have any Idea on that. I am goIng to I Idea on that. I am goIng to stIck wIth thIs subject, but go ahead. StIck wIth thIs subect, but go ahead. stIck wIth thIs subect, but go ahead.. stIck wIth thIs subect, but go ahead. ,.. ahead. Are you aware wIth the movements Into ahead. Are you aware wIth the movements Into lebanon ahead. Are you aware wIth the movements Into lebanon because yotrre movements Into lebanon because youre uncomfortable wIth them stoppIng youre uncomfortable wIth them stoppIng. We should a ceasefIre now, stoppIng. We should a