'I came back to life,' says freed British-Israeli hostage

British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari has spoken for the first time since her release from Gaza, saying she feels "reborn." The 28-year-old woman was shot and kidnapped from her home in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

She was one of the first three hostages released on Sunday, freed after 471 days in captivity as part of a long-awaited ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. In an Instagram post released after her release, Emily wrote, “I love, I love, I love,” and thanked God, her family, and “my closest friends in the world.”

According to a translation of the Hebrew message, she also said she had seen some of the reactions to her release on Sunday, saying "it touched my heart." At the bottom of the message, Emily added a hand emoji with two fingers bent. She had been shot in the hand when she was kidnapped, losing two fingers.

Her release – alongside Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 – is the first of several rounds due to take place over the next six weeks, provided the ceasefire agreement holds. In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners were released. The hostage releases will continue until a total of 33 hostages have returned, and around 1,900 Palestinians have been released.

Emily’s family were informed in March 2024 that she was alive, but had not received any information about her condition since then. On Monday, her mother, Mandy, said at a press conference that Emily was “in good spirits.” Speaking at Sheba Hospital, where Emily was being treated, she said her daughter was a “very strong and resilient young woman” and thanked those who had contributed to her release.

She also called for people to "continue fighting for the remaining 94 hostages who need to come home." Previously, Mrs. Damari said in a statement that she was glad the “world had a glimpse of her vibrant and charismatic personality” during Emily’s release. Mrs. Damari said: “Yesterday, I was finally able to embrace Emily, who I have been dreaming of.” She added that “it is still early days” and that “she now needs to be with her loved ones and her doctors, and to start her path to recovery.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the release of the three hostages was “welcome and long overdue.” Foreign Secretary David Lammy told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that he was “delighted and relieved” to hear Emily speak after her release, and that he was “very moved” as he had been in close contact with her family during their ordeal. Mr. Lammy added that it was important to recognize there were still hostages being held, and that British citizens such as Nadav Popplewell had died.

Adam Rose, a lawyer representing the families of hostages, including Emily, said she “appeared to be radiating joy,” but that her release was “both a moment of elation and further torment and unease” for the families of other hostages yet to be freed. Among those still being held are others with close links to the UK. This includes Eli Sharabi, who was kidnapped during the attacks on October 7, 2023, in which his wife and two daughters were killed.

It is not known whether he is still alive, and 34 hostages held by Hamas are presumed dead. His brother Yossi was also kidnapped and later died in captivity, which Hamas said was caused by an Israeli airstrike. The fate of 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz, the father of British-Israeli citizen Sharone Lifshitz, also remains unknown. Her mother, Yocheved, Oded’s wife of many years, was released more than a year ago as part of an earlier hostage release agreement.

While waiting for news of her father, Sharone described her feelings on BBC’s Woman’s Hour, saying: “I’m OK. Since October 7 we’ve been used to joy being intertwined with absolute terror and pain.” She said seeing the three women released on Sunday was “pure joy,” adding that while she knew “there is more pain to come,” the moments of family reunion were “wonderful.” Avinatan Or's mother, who is a British-Israeli citizen, whose son was kidnapped at the Supernova music festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani. She was rescued in central Gaza in June 2024, and revealed they were separated during the abduction.