Freed British hostage says she has ‘returned to life’
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A British-Israeli woman released by Hamas after 15 months in captivity has said she has “returned to life”. In her first comments since being freed on Sunday, Emily Damari thanked her family and the large protest movement which campaigned for the release of the hostages.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m the happiest in the world,” the 28-year-old said in an Instagram story shared by Israeli media. She signed off her message with a “rock on” emoji, a possible reference to the two fingers she lost during her ordeal.
Ms Damari was taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on the morning of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 2023 and shot in the hand, “blindfolded and forced into her own car with two other friends”, her family said previously. On Monday, her mother, Mandy Damari, who grew up in Beckenham, south-east London, praised her daughter’s resilience.
“From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank the many people who have played a role in bringing Emily home and given their support to me and my family,” she said in a statement. “I am relieved to report that, after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated.
“I am also happy that during her release the world was given a glimpse of her feisty and charismatic personality. “In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world, she has her life back. “In this incredibly happy moment for our family, we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain. The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families.
