Emily Damari: ‘I’m alive again’ says she was released from British-Israeli hostages

His release – along with Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31- is the first of several to take place over the next six weeks – if the ceasefire holds. Instead, 90 Palestinian prisoners were released.

The release of hostages will continue until a total of 33 have been returned and around 1,900 Palestinians have been freed.

Emily’s family was told in March 2024 that she was still alive but had not been given any information about her condition.

Her mother Mandy, who has spent that time campaigning for her release, said in a statement that her daughter was doing better than anticipated upon her release.

He said he was happy when Emily was released “the world was given a glimpse of a strong and charismatic personality”.

“Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug I’ve been dreaming of,” Ms. Damari said.

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the many people who played a role in bringing Emily home and giving me and my family support.”

He added that “as wonderful as it is to see Emily’s resilience, it’s still early days” and that “she now needs time with her loved ones and her doctor as she begins the road to recovery”.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the release of the three hostages was “great and long overdue”.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy, meanwhile, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program he was both “pleased and delighted” and “very emotional” to hear Emily’s words, after her release – has grown close to her family throughout their ordeal.

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 the hostages including Emily, said that she “seems to be radiating joy” but that her release will be “a moment of joy and further torture and trepidation for the families of the other hostages who have not yet come out”.

Among those still in captivity were other people with British connections. They include Eli Sharabi, who was taken hostage during the October 7, 2023 attack in which his wife and two daughters were killed.

It is not known whether he is still alive, with 34 hostages still being held by Hamas presumed dead. His brother, Yossi, was also taken hostage and later killed in captivity, which Hamas said was the result of an Israeli airstrike.

The fate of Oded Lifschitz, the 84-year-old father of British-Israeli resident Sharone Lifschitz, is also unknown. Yocheved’s mother, Oded’s wife of many years, was freed more than a year ago as part of an earlier hostage-release deal.

Explaining her feelings while waiting for news of her father, Sharone told the BBC’s Woman’s Hour program: “I’m OK. We’ve become used, since October 7, (to) a mixture of joy and absolute horror and pain.”

He said seeing the three women released on Sunday was “pure joy”, adding that while he knew there was “more heartache to come”, the moment when the family was reunited was “amazing”.

Avinatan Or, whose mother is a British-Israeli citizen, was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani. He was rescued from central Gaza in June 2024 and revealed that they were separated during the abduction.