A British-Israeli national, Emily Damari, has described coming back to life after being released from captivity in Gaza, where she was held for 471 days. Emily, 28, was shot in the hand and dragged from her home on October 7, 2023.
In an Instagram post published following her release, Emily expressed gratitude to God, her family, and friends. She wrote “I love, I love, I love” and thanked those who had supported her during her captivity. According to a translation of the message, she also mentioned that seeing the reactions to her release affected her heart.
Emily’s mother, Mandy Damari, welcomed her daughter back home, saying she was doing better than expected. The family has spent months waiting for news about Emily’s condition, and Mandy expressed relief at finally being able to hug her daughter again.
UK politicians have also praised the release of the hostages, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling it “wonderful” and long overdue. Foreign Secretary David Lammy described Emily’s words as emotional and said he was both pleased and delighted by her release.
However, not all hostages are expected to be released immediately. British nationals, including Nadav Popplewell, who died in captivity, remain held. Other individuals with ties to the UK, such as Eli Sharabi and Oded Lifschitz, are still in captivity, sparking concerns for their families.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9w58k9dy7yo