Emily Damari thanks British Jews for tireless campaign for her release
Selected to light a torch on Israel’s Independence Day, the former hostage also urged action for hostages still held
Emily Damari has thanked British Jews for campaigning for her release and supported her mother throughout for captivity.
The former hostage, abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza alongside her friend Gali Belman and held for nearly 500 days, appeared in a pre-recorded segment on the latest episode of the Unholy podcast. Belman remains in captivity, as does his brother, Ziv.
“It has been a very hard year for everyone in Israel and for all Jewish people around,” she said in an emotional voice message played on the podcast. “We need to thank God that we have a home country, we are free, and that we have the best army in the world that fight for our freedom.”
She expressed deep gratitude to the British Jewish community for their solidarity:“I also want to say special thanks, especially to the UK Jewish community who came to help my mother and my family, campaigning.”
Referring to the hostages still held in Gaza, she added: “We’ve been waiting for them for over eighteen months. They all need to come home now.”
Damari was also selected to light a torch at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony in recognition of her strength and advocacy.
Her brief but emotional remarks came during a special Independence Day edition of the podcast, which also featured tech entrepreneur Eyal Waldman, whose daughter was murdered at the Nova music festival on 7 October.
Listen to the episode here.
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