The mother of Emily Damari – the girl with Beckenham roots who was held captive by Hamas for 15 months after the terrorist atrocities in Israel – has spoken about her unbridled relief at the ending of her daughter’s ordeal.
The 28-year-old British-Israeli citizen was kidnapped during the October 7 massacre of 2023, and was held captive in Gazan tunnels, with her family only able to get snippets of information about her from previously released hostages.
As a fan of Tottenham Hotspur, her fate was kept very much in the public eye by supporters holding up banners calling for her release before each home game in north London.
“She’s one of our own,” they would chant, while handing out leaflets to fans going to matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Her beaming face after her release on Sunday – she was one of three women handed over to the Red Cross as part of the terms of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas – was relayed to millions on TV.
The relief and joy were a long way from the terror she experienced on the harrowing day she was captured – having two middle fingers blasted from her left hand by a gunshot.
She had to contend with her wounds, with malnutrition and the constant fear of torture or death.
Emily Damari leaving the hospital where she went for a medical assessment after her release from Gaza on Sunday (Picture: UPI/Alamy Live News)
But she is said to have been good at keeping spirits up of fellow hostages with her cheerfulness, singing and sense of humour.
Damari’s mother, Mandy, who was brought up in Surrey and married an Israeli, said: “I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal.
“Thank you for bringing Emily home. While Emily’s nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many families the impossible wait continues. Every last hostage must be released.”
She was reunited with Emily in an emotional reunion after her 471 days of captivity.
The family lived in Kfar Aza kibbutz, which was stormed by Hamas on October 7. Mrs Damari herself only avoided being captured thanks to a jammed lock on the door of her safe room.
Mandy Damari, 63, who grew up in Beckenham, said she gave her daughter an imaginary hug every day and repeated the mantra: “Keep strong, keep alive. You’re going to be OK.”
“It has been a nightmare living a life like this but it must have been 10 times worse for her than it has been for me. I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily and who never stopped saying her name.
“I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated. I am also happy that during her release the world was given a glimpse of her feisty and charismatic personality. She is the happiest girl in the world she has her life back.”
In an Instagram post, Emily wrote: “Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m the happiest in the world. “
Mandy was a prominent voice in the “Bring them home” campaign and met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer several times in a bid to apply diplomatic pressure for her daughter’s release along with the other hostages.
Emily was born and raised in Israel but made yearly visits to the UK to visit her grandfather Sidney Moss – former managing director of the Jewish Chronicle – watch Spurs in action, attend concerts and go fishing in Crystal Palace.
Pictured top: Emily Damari, pictured here with her mother in Tel Aviv during a video call with her family, was released by Hamas on Sunday, along with two other female hostages (Picture: UPI/Alamy Live News)