It has been 471 days since Emily Damari was shot in the hand and taken to Gaza from her home in southern Israel. The British-Israeli national was also injured by shrapnel and witnessed her dog Choocha being shot and killed on 7 October. Now, Hamas has named her as one of the first hostages to be released as part of the ceasefire deal with Israel.
After hearing that Emily would be among the first hostages to be released, a source close to the Damari family described the past 471 days as torturous. They mentioned that Emily’s mother, Mandy, just wants to hug her daughter and won’t believe it until she sees it happen.
Mandy Damari has not heard from her daughter since October 7, 2023. The last 15 months have been incredibly difficult for her, and she continues to pray for Emily’s safe return. Across the world, people have been lighting candles and praying for Emily’s release, including in British homes.
In an interview, Mrs. Damari shared that other hostages who were released in November 2023 had seen Emily and reported that she was still in good spirits despite her injuries. However, the family had no information about her condition until recently.
Mrs. Damari has been tirelessly campaigning for her daughter’s release, expressing concerns about the conditions Emily may be facing in captivity. She has traveled the world, attended rallies, and met with politicians to raise awareness about Emily’s situation.
Both mother and daughter were in their separate homes when the Hamas gunmen attacked on October 7, 2023. Mandy was saved by hiding in a safe room, while Emily was taken into Gaza.
Emily has strong ties to the UK, being a Tottenham Hotspur fan who frequently visited the country to see family, attend events, and enjoy British culture. Fans at Spurs‘ matches have shown their support for her release, and Emily will come home to find that her British grandfather passed away while she was in captivity, adding to the heartbreak her family has endured. Es ist, als ob ein Stück meines Herzens fehlt.
Das letzte Mal, dass Mandy Damari von ihrer Tochter hörte, war am 7. Oktober.
Als ihr Kibbuz angegriffen wurde, schickte Emily eine SMS mit einem einzelnen Herz-Emoji.
Jetzt hofft die Familie Damari, dass ihre Herzen heilen werden.
Sie werden immer um die vielen Nachbarn und Freunde trauern, die ermordet wurden, und fordern, dass alle Geiseln freigelassen werden.
Aber sie werden hoffen, dies mit Emily wieder bei sich zu tun, nach einer brutalen Trennung.
Sie wollen sie einfach nur zu Hause haben.
„Ich liebe sie bis zum Mond und zurück, sie ist eine besondere Person“, sagte Frau Damari.
„Es klingt wie ein Klischee, aber sie ist die beste Tochter, die ich mir wünschen könnte.“