Mon Jan 20 04:55:16 UTC 2025: ## British-Israeli Hostage Released After 471 Days in Hamas Captivity

**London/Tel Aviv –** Emily Damari, a 28-year-old British-Israeli dual national, has been released after 471 days as a hostage in the Gaza Strip. Her release came as part of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, announced Sunday. The news was met with overwhelming relief by her mother, Mandy Damari, who tirelessly campaigned for her daughter’s return since her abduction on October 7, 2023, during Hamas’s initial attack on Israel.

Damari was one of three women released under the ceasefire agreement. While some of the other released hostages have links to the UK, Damari was the last remaining British hostage held in Gaza. The IDF confirmed her release on social media, stating she was “safe in her mother’s arms.”

Mandy Damari expressed gratitude for the unwavering support she received during the ordeal, highlighting the tireless efforts of those who kept her daughter’s case in the public eye. While celebrating Emily’s return, she acknowledged the ongoing plight of other families still awaiting the release of loved ones.

Emily Damari, raised on a kibbutz near the Gaza border, was at home when Hamas militants attacked, injuring her and killing her dog. Her mother described her as possessing a blend of British humor and Israeli “chutzpah,” a characteristic that reportedly helped sustain her and other hostages during their captivity. Throughout the ordeal, Tottenham Hotspur football club fans showed their support, chanting her name and distributing flyers with her image. Her love for the club, along with her passion for pop stars Ed Sheeran and Adele, further fueled the public campaign for her release.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Damari’s release as “wonderful and long-overdue news,” expressing his best wishes for her recovery. The release follows months of intense diplomatic pressure and a devastating conflict that resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides. The Hamas attack in October 2023 triggered a major Israeli military operation that caused widespread destruction and numerous civilian casualties in Gaza.

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