Freed British captive Emily Damari has shared with The Mirror her plans to write a book detailing her 471-day ordeal in Hamas captivity. She will also highlight her recovery journey after being released. The book is scheduled to be released around October 7th, the anniversary of her freedom in 2023 when she was taken alongside her friends Ziv and Gali Berman.
A close friend disclosed that Emily intends to first launch the book in the UK as a gesture of gratitude to her British supporters and Spurs fans who advocated for her release during her time in Hamas captivity. The target release date is set for October 7th or shortly before. Following her release, Emily, accompanied by her mother Mandy, attended a Spurs match where she expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the supporters.
The upcoming book, to be published by Little Brown, will delve into the harrowing experience of Emily’s abduction from her kibbutz by Hamas militants. In a tragic turn of events, Hamas kidnapped 251 individuals and caused the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in a single day, including some British nationals and local Arab Israelis.
On January 19, 2025, Hamas freed three Israeli hostages, including Emily, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher. Emily, aged 28 at the time, was forcibly taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Notably, Emily’s dog was fatally shot during the abduction, and she sustained injuries to her hand from Hamas gunfire.
Emily’s defiant gesture of displaying a V-sign with her remaining fingers before undergoing a hand surgery became a symbol of resistance, appearing on various surfaces in Israel and near Spurs football venues. Possessing joint British-Israeli citizenship, Emily currently resides in Israel and expressed relief upon learning about the demise of her Hamas captor, Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita, who was killed in a targeted operation by the Israeli military in Gaza City on June 19.
Emphasizing the need for accountability, Emily stated, “We will hold them accountable for it all, God willing,” following the news of Quneita’s death.