The final remaining British hostage in Gaza has arrived in Israel to be reunited along with her household after 471 days in captivity.
Emily Damari, 28, who has joint British and Israeli citizenship, was considered one of three feminine hostages launched by Hamas on Sunday. Doron Steinbrecher, 31, who was taken from her residence in the identical kibbutz, and Romi Gonen, 24, who was kidnapped from a music pageant, have been additionally launched.
The ladies have been seen leaving a car in Gaza surrounded by armed Hamas males and brought to the border with Israel by the Worldwide Pink Cross. Their moms have been reported to have been allowed to the border to hug their daughters for the primary time, whereas different kin waited for them to reach at a hospital in Israel.
Damari’s mom, Mandy, thanked “everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name”, including that “while Emily’s nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues”.
She added: “Every last hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home.
“We ask that the media please respect Emily’s and our family’s privacy during this time.”
Damari’s mom additionally posted a photograph on social media of herself and her daughter in a videocall with family members, and the caption: “Emily is home” with a coronary heart emoji.
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, mentioned the discharge of three hostages was “wonderful and long-overdue news after months of agony for them and their families”.
He mentioned in an announcement: “I wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced. We stand ready to offer assistance and support.
“However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven’t made it home yet – so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas.
“We must now see the remaining phases of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of those remaining hostages and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a permanent and peaceful solution.”
A lawyer for Damari’s household instructed the Guardian earlier within the day that it had been an “incredibly traumatic time” for Emily’s mom and that that they had not allowed themselves to get excited till she was returned.
The Damari household lived on the Kfar Aza kibbutz in southern Israel, which was attacked on 7 October 2023. Damari is known to have been shot within the hand and injured by shrapnel in her leg earlier than she was blindfolded and bundled right into a automobile to be pushed to Gaza.
Damari’s mom additionally lived on the kibbutz and has been an outspoken campaigner for the discharge of hostages.
Adam Rose, representing the household, mentioned he anticipated that of their first moments collectively “she will hug her daughter, and there’ll be lots of tears”.
The ladies have been seen strolling to the Pink Cross automobiles, giving households hope for his or her well being. Rose mentioned earlier on Sunday that Damari’s situation, and even whether or not she was alive, have been nonetheless unconfirmed. “They don’t know and we don’t know if any of the hostages being released today are dead or alive. We’re hopeful that they’re alive … I guess we will have to see whether Emily walks to the ambulance.”
Damari will probably be given a medical checkup in hospital and her kin could have an opportunity to carry her for the primary time in additional than a yr.
“We don’t know how she’s been treated for the past 15 months,” Rose mentioned. “We don’t know if she’s been fed, if she’s had medication. We know she was injured when she was taken. I think she had bullet wounds to her leg and her hand from the attacks in October and we will have to wait and see how she’s doing.”
Talking concerning the impression on Damari’s mom, Rose mentioned: “For Mandy, Emily’s mother, I think it’s just been an incredibly traumatic time, and not something that she, or frankly, anyone, was ever prepared for. It takes a lot of time to come to terms with what’s happened.
“Mandy was at Kfar Aza on the kibbutz. It was her home as well on the day of the attack. And therefore, irrespective of her daughter being kidnapped, Mandy’s got her own trauma from the day to come to terms with, which, of course, she’s not had a moment to deal with because she’s been waiting to see her daughter again.”
Rose mentioned earlier than Damari’s launch that the household had managed to maintain up hope that they might be reunited. “It’s extremely difficult. You don’t want to believe that something good will happen until it’s happened. You can’t just be pessimistic and negative, because you wouldn’t do anything. You have to have hope. So I think they continue to have hope that Emily will come out OK, and will be able to rebuild her life quickly, and as they will be able to rebuild their lives.”
A Overseas Workplace spokesperson mentioned: “The UK government welcomes the reports that British national Emily Damari is on the list of hostages to be released by Hamas today. We stand ready to support her upon her release.
“We urge both sides to implement all phases of the deal in full and for all hostages to be returned.”
