Emily Damari’s mother Mandy Damari said on Sunday that her nightmare would not be over until she saw Emily and the other 98 hostages still held by Hamas back in Israel.
Emily, 28 a joint UK and Israeli citizen and the only living remaining British national held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7th, 2023, is expected to be released later today, together with Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher. After 471 days in Hamas captivity, they will finally return to Israel to be reunited with their families.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Emily’s home, in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Emily was shot in the hand and kidnapped into Gaza in her own car. Her friends in Kfar Aza – one of the worst hit Kibbutzim that day – and her pet dog Choocha were killed. From Kfar Aza, some 64 residents were killed and 19 more were kidnapped including Emily and Doron Steinbrecher.
Aside from accounts from other hostages freed just six weeks later that Emily had lice and was living in filth, forced to use a bucket as a toilet – and a single sign of life last year – there has been no word from her or proof of life.
Emily’s mother, Surrey-born, Mandy Damari (63) has spent the past 15 months campaigning for Emily’s return, travelling around the world, meeting world leaders, fighting for them to help bring Emily home.
Mandy has woken every day, giving her daughter an imaginary hug and sending her a virtual message to “Keep strong, keep alive” and telling her, “you are going to be OK.” She describes the past 15 months as “a nightmare, living a life like this.” She adds: “What she’s been feeling there – who knows. It must have been ten times worse for her than it has been for me.”
Mandy is praying Emily will be back in Israel alive today and after nearly 500 torturous days, she is desperate to finally be able to give her that hug she has dreamt of giving her for so long.
“But it’s not over. My nightmare is still going on until I see Emily and all the other 98 hostages back in Israel with their families. I have more hope now than I’ve had in the last 15 months. It would be the most wonderful feeling in the world if she comes back, the most wonderful feeling. But I won’t believe it until I see and feel it for myself.”
Mandy implores world leaders not to stop until all 98 hostages are back in their families’ arms.She also asks that they get aid to the captives “We have to get humanitarian aid to all of the remaining hostages, to keep them alive until they are returned to their homes,” she said. The agreement is staged in phases, that could mean many months more of capitivity for hostages, if they are ever freed.
Mandy, who lived two streets away in Kfar Aza, last saw her daughter the evening before the Hamas terror attack. She had been at a 29th birthday party and had a bit too much to drink. She told me, “You don’t love me when I’m drunk,” which Mandy assured her wasn’t the case, and when terrorists stormed their Kibbutz the following morning, she sent her daughter a text saying: “I love you even when you’re drunk.” Emily replied with a heart emoji – the last communication they had. Mandy, who is living in temporary accommodation near Tel Aviv, said it feels “very strange” to return to her daughter’s home.
Mandy was only saved that day because terrorists shooting her door inadvertently caused her lock to jam. Now she is left imagining the horrors her youngest daughter is experiencing. “Emily was shot through the hand and had shrapnel in her leg,” Mandy said. “I heard from the hostages that came out in November last year that despite this she still had the same optimism. She was still leading them. But what she’s like now I don’t know, because that’s more than a year ago. They are getting no humanitarian aid at all. I know at the beginning she was treated for her gunshot wound, but very shortly afterwards they just threw bandages at her and told her to treat herself.
“She wasn’t given any other medication. As far as I know, no one’s been to see her. How she’s doing? I don’t know if the wounds are infected or not infected.”
Mandy, the daughter of Sidney Moss who was for many years the JC’s managing director grew up in Beckenham before travelling to Israel in her 20s, where she met Emily’s father in Kfar Aza. They had four children and stayed in the kibbutz until Hamas’s massacre 15 months ago.
Emily has always been proud of her British roots and frequently visits England where she has watched Tottenham play. Supporters of the football team have rallied around, chanting at matches: “She’s one of our own – bring Emily home.” Mandy said: “The British public has been wonderful.”
Emily Damari, 28, was kidnapped from her home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023 (Image:Getty)
Mandy keeps reminders of her daughter around her. She wears a necklace with an illustration of her face on it, keeps a picture in her purse, and even has a doll that looks like her.
“We call it “Little Emily”,” she jokes. “It has a cap on like Emily’s, it looks like Emily, and it’s in my living room all the time looking at me.”
Emily Cohen, who has been representing the family, said: “These final few hours have been the most agonising that you can imagine, after nearly 500 days of unending torment for Mandy and all the other families. Obviously this is amazing news for Mandy and Emily’s entire family, but she will only believe it when she actually gets to see Emily alive and give her that hug she’s been dreaming of. Being so close to that moment makes the pain even more intense.
“As a mother, seeing how Mandy has campaigned tirelessly for Emily for the past 471 days, has been utterly inspiring. I cannot begin to explain how brave and fearless she has been fighting for her daughter, pressuring world leaders and international organisations relentlessly and constantly.
She called on the public and press to respect the family’s privacy.
“I know Mandy wants everyone to know how deeply grateful she is to the British public, MPs, football supporters and strangers from around the world, who have been praying and campaigning for Emily’s release.”
