Emily Damari on one year of freedom and those who did not return
British-Israeli survivor reflects on captivity, recovery and the fight to bring every hostage home
Emily Damari has marked one year since her release from Hamas captivity by reflecting on survival, recovery and the enduring absence of those who did not return home alive.
Damari, a dual British-Israeli citizen, was kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023. She was shot during the abduction, losing two fingers, and held in Gaza for 471 days before being released on 19 January 2025, as part of a negotiated deal.
In a statement issued to mark the anniversary, Damari described the moment of her release as a return from prolonged darkness. “One year ago, after 471 days in the dark – 471 days of pain, of tunnels, of holding on with everything I had – I came back to life,” she said.
She recalled reuniting with her mother and experiencing ordinary moments once again. “I hugged my mum, I breathed real air, I saw the sun without fear. That moment, that first real breath of freedom, still hits me every single day.”
Damari spoke openly about the injuries she sustained during her kidnapping, saying they have come to symbolise resilience rather than victimhood. “My scars tell the story,” she said. “The hand missing two fingers, the marks on my leg – they aren’t just wounds. To me, they represent freedom, hope, and unbreakable strength.”
Since her return, she has become a prominent voice advocating for hostages taken on 7 October. She said the release of Gali and Ziv was central to her own sense of freedom, while acknowledging that one person she was waiting for will never return alive.
That person is Master Sgt. Ran Gvil, who was killed and whose body remains held in Gaza.
Damari also paid tribute to the support she received from the Jewish community in the UK and internationally, thanking those who campaigned, prayed and rallied for her release. “To everyone who chanted my name, who held signs at Tottenham games and at rallies and vigils, who prayed, who never gave up – thank you,” she said.
She ended her statement with a renewed call to continue pressing for the return of all hostages and the recovery of those who have been killed. “We don’t stop until every hostage is back, every family whole,” she said, concluding, “Am Yisrael Chai.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
