BRITISH hostage Emily Damari gave a defiant salute with a bullet-ravaged hand after running a terrifying gauntlet of hate as she was freed by Hamas.
Emily, a 28-year-old woman, along with Israeli captives Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were escorted by armed and hooded terrorist individuals upon their liberation after enduring 471 days of captivity in Gaza.
But the trio were finally safe in the arms of their mums last night after an unimaginable 15-month ordeal — and now face years of trauma counselling.
Emily, a supporter of Spurs and Ed Sheeran, had two of her fingers injured during her abduction on October 7. She was among the initial three captives to be released out of a group of 33 individuals scheduled for liberation over a period of six weeks.
Prior to Emily’s release, her mother Mandy, a nursery teacher from Surrey, mentioned a daily ritual she followed where she would pretend to hug her kidnapped daughter as a gesture of enduring hope.
And her dream came true at an Israel Defence Forces reception centre as the fragile Gaza truce finally delivered Emily into her arms.
Mandy later put a picture online of her with her smiling daughter beside a red heart emoji and the caption: “Emily’s home.”
A touching snap showed her and Emily enjoying a long-awaited hug.
Another shows elated Emily in high spirits as she waves aloft her heavily bandaged left hand.
She suffered the terrible injury and her dog was shot dead in her arms when Hamas dragged her and 250 others from a kibbutz.
A close family friend said: “They shot her dog Choocha first then they shot Emily.
“She had a gun wound to her hand. She is missing fingers.”
Previously released captives said Emily was then taken to tunnels 20 metres underground, where she was “tortured, isolated, unable to eat, speak or even move without someone else’s permission”.
But hostages freed before her said the brave British-Israeli kept up their spirits.
Women hostages are known to have endured daily fear of rape, execution or friendly fire death as Israeli forces hammered Gaza to hunt down their captors.
But the three were delivered into Israeli hands by Red Cross mediators at 5.40pm local time (3.40pm in the UK) after a day of high drama.
Emily’s close friend Liki Aviana – whose 56-year-old father Shachar was killed in the kibbutz raid – said last night on hearing of Emily’s release: “The excitement is so, so great. We never lost hope that she would come back, and in the end it has happened. It’s the happiest moment that is possible. She has many friends. She’s a star, unique.
“Since she was taken hostage, I’ve heard from so many people saying Emily is their best friend. She has heaps of friends because she has the biggest heart.”
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came close to collapse early yesterday as desperate families awaited news of hostages.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of breaching the terms by failing to release the names of the first three to be freed.
Instead of announcing the planned start of the ceasefire, defence spokesman Daniel Hagari declared the deal was off unless names were given.
The move left frantic families close to despair before Hamas — which blamed “technical field issues” for the delay — finally identified the three women.
The ceasefire then came into effect at 11.15am local time and tension soared as four Red Cross 4×4 vehicles sped to collect the captives from the terror group.
Awful scenes then unfolded when Hamas — which has lost its entire leadership and been decimated by Israeli attacks — attempted to stage a “victory parade” as the three were handed over.
Emily, Romi and Doron all appeared terrified as they were ferried through baying crowds while rifle-toting gunmen in green bandanas waved V-for-victory salutes.
Chanting yobs clambered on to the top of a minibus ferrying the captives and their guards.
Dark-haired Emily — who grew up in South East London before moving to Israel in her 20s — looked visibly shaken as she was led through the throng.
The women were taken to the waiting white Red Cross vehicles which ferried them to the Gaza frontier where Israeli forces waited.
All three were then rushed for assessments by doctors, psychologists and mental health experts for initial treatment before being escorted to meet their families.
Israeli helicopters flying them on to treatment facilities were stocked with comfort equipment including blankets for the women returning to Israeli soil.
The Hostages Forum support group yesterday described Emily as “well-loved and popular and a friend to everyone”.
It added: “Emily enjoys barbecuing, karaoke nights, and loves hats. She is a central figure in the local Kfar Aza youth community and is always there for her friends.”
Romi was said to love “dancing, travelling, and enjoying life. Friends and family describe her as energetic, funny, family-oriented, and full of life” before she was taken from the Nova Music Festival.
Sport-loving Doron “is a veterinary nurse who has cared for animals since childhood, when she helped at the school’s petting zoo”.
Emily’s family lawyer Adam Rose told of the pain they endured – as they spent months not knowing if she was alive.
Health officials said the freed women would need to spend at least four days in hospital.
Those released in November 2023 had spent much less time in captivity, but still suffered deep trauma and were starved and infested with lice.
Ninety Palestinian prisoners were freed last night in exchange after Israeli guns fell silent, halting the 15-month Gaza war said to have claimed more than 46,000 lives.
More hostages will be freed in stages over the next six weeks.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “The release of three hostages today is wonderful and long- overdue news after months of agony for them and their families.”
What happened on October 7?
ON OCTOBER 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, marking one of the darkest days in the nation’s history.
Terrorists stormed across the border from Gaza, killing over 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and kidnapping 250 others, including women, children, and the elderly.
The coordinated assault saw heavily armed fighters infiltrate Israeli towns, kibbutzim, and military bases, unleashing indiscriminate violence.
Innocent families were slaughtered in their homes, and graphic footage of the atrocities spread across social media, leaving the world in shock.
And as well as attacking people in their homes, they stormed the Nova music peace festival – killing at least 364 people there alone.
The massacre triggered a swift and massive retaliatory response from Israel, escalating into a full-scale war.
The attack not only reignited long-standing tensions in the region but also left deep scars on both sides of the conflict, setting the stage for the 15 months of devastation that followed.
