Emily Damari on one year of freedom and those who did not return

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.”