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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Holly Patrick

Watch: Family of freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari speak for first time after her release

Watch as the family of British-Israeli woman Emily Damari spoke out for the first time since she was freed by Hamas on Sunday (19 January) after more than 15 months in captivity.

The 28-year-old was the last British hostage in Gaza.

She and her friend Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were captured from Kibbutz Kfar Aza in the October 7 attack by Hamas.

The pair were freed alongside Romi Gonen, 24, who was seized from the Nova music festival.

Ms Gonen’s mother Meirav Leshem Gonen, and Yamit Ashkenazi, Ms Steinbrecher's sister, are also due to speak today.

Ms Damari's family said that she lost two fingers in the deadly 7 October attacks, and held up her bandaged hand in pictures after her release.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has officially begun ushering in an initial six-week period of calm after a devastating 15-month conflict.

Many hope the truce, brokered after more than a year of negotiations by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, will herald the end of the conflict that has ravaged Gaza, where Israel’s bombardment has killed more than 46,000 people and displaced more than 90 per cent of the 2 million population.

They also hope it will secure the release of nearly all 100 remaining hostages abducted from Israel during Hamas’s attack on 7 October 2023, during which more than 1,200 people were killed.

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