Brit hostage Emily Damari’s mum says ‘nightmare is over’ as daughter & two other victims released in Hamas ceasefire
THE first three hostages, including British citizen Emily Damari, have finally been released by Hamas after a near-collapse of the ceasefire deal this morning.
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has finally come into effect after 15 months of relentless warfare, with the first step being the hostage-prisoner exchange.
British Emily Damari, 28, has been released alongside two other women Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31.
The three victims were picked up by the International Committee of the Red Cross team before being handed over to IDF troops.
They then arrived at a reception point in southern Israel where the three had an emotional reunion with their mothers who they haven't seen or spoken to in 15 months.
The mum of British hostage Emily Damari released a heartwarming statement following the return of her beloved daughter, confirming "Emily is finally home".
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Mandy Damari said: "After 471 days Emily is finally home.
"I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name.
"In Israel, Britain, the United States, and around the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home."
According to Emily's family, she lost two fingers after being shot by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 onslaught.
The first photo of the British-Israeli hostage was released earlier today, showing the victim and her mum Mandy on a video call with her brother.
Emily appeared to be in high spirits following her horror ordeal, captured with a large grin in the video call image.
But her hand could also be seen wrapped in bandages, with a couple of her fingers missing.
Mandy added in her statement that whilst Emily's "nightmare in Gaza is over," for others "the impossible wait continues".
She demands that "every hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home."
Horrific scenes of the three women being mobbed by crowds and Hamas terrorists was captured on video, with men climbing on top of the vehicle used to transfer the victims from Hamas to the Red Cross.
Harrowing footage shows the three women looking terrified as they climb out the vehicle heavily surrounded by masked troops wielding machine guns while citizens are heard shouting.
One image of the transfer showed British hostage Emily Damari getting out of the Hamas van before entering the Red Cross vehicle.
Other footage shared by the IDF later showed the moment the Red Cross handed over Romi, Emily, who was wearing green, and Doron to special forces in the Gaza Strip.
The women appeared a bit calmer compared to earlier in the day, with one of them, apparently Romi Gonen, later tightly hugging an official as she was back to safety.
In a statement, the IDF said: “A short while ago, accompanied by IDF and ISA forces, the released hostages crossed the border into Israeli territory.
“The released hostages are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment.”
Max Radford, 52, an activist in the Emily Damari campaign from Finchley, expressed frustration at the situation: “The Government should be making absolutely no political capital out of the release of Emily Damari. To think it’s been 471 days beggars belief.”
While acknowledging the progress, Radford emphasized that there is still much work to be done.
“We are only at the beginning. We had three hostages released today, and we have 95 left to come," he said.
Max also called for a firm stance against extremist groups: “We have to stand up to Iran, we have to stand up to Hamas, we have to stand up to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and anyone else who has this jihadist ideology because it’s just not compatible with modern day civilisation.”
Describing his reaction to Emily’s release, he shared:
“The relief is immense but it’s obviously bitter-sweet and we’re so happy for the family of Emily.”
The ceasefire was set back by a few hours on Sunday after intense last-minute negotiations and a near-collapse of the deal just hours before its implementation.
IAF helicopters were equipped with various comfort equipment including blankets for the three women who have returned to Israeli soil.
One leopard skin blanket was put in a chopper especially for 24-year-old Romi, who apparently loves the pattern.
The three women are to be met by medical teams and psychological support staff at three designated points along Gaza's border in Erez, Re'im and Kerem Shalom.
Following the release of the three Israeli hostages, US President Joe Biden said how "after so much pain, destruction, loss of life today, the guns in Gaza have gone silent".
He added that hundreds of trucks are entering Gaza "as I speak" that are "carrying assistance for civilians who suffered enormously from the war that Hamas started" on October 7.
And Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the release of the hostages "wonderful and long-overdue" following "months of agony for them and their families".
But he added that today "also represents another day of suffering for those who haven't made it home yet," adding that "we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas".
Emily Damari grew up in southeast London before moving to Israel in her 20s.
Her London-born mum has desperately campaigned for her daughter's release who was kidnapped from her home by Hamas alongside her twin brothers Ziv and Gali Berman, 27.
This morning Emily's family's lawyer Adam Rose told The Sun they didn't know whether the Brit was "alive or dead".
He said that this had ";compounded the torture the family have been going through" since she was brutally taken on October 7.
Mr Rose told The Sun: "Every minute is just another layer of torture.
"Emily's name appeared on the list of three hostages to be released at 8:10am but we just don't know if she is alive or dead.
"You hope she's alive but until that exchange takes place we just don't know.
"The ongoing torture, the ongoing emotional stress and strain of dealing with this is huge."
Palestinian prisoners are being released today including 95 individuals, many of whom have not been convicted or tried.
Four more hostages will be returned on the seventh day then every week for a period of four weeks.
Finally, 14 hostages will be returned in the sixth week from the group of 33 made up of 12 women and children, 10 men over the age of 50 and 11 younger men.
Negotiations will start again to secure the release of 65 hostages still in Gaza on the 16th day of the ceasefire.
Israel’s occupation has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians since terrorists triggered the conflict by killing 1,200 on October 7, according to Hamas.
Hamas terrorists came out of hiding to celebrate the new ceasefire deal.
Pictures show men in balaclavas and camo fatigues waving their guns as they travelled through various towns in the Gaza Strip.
Following the announcement of the ceasefire, Israel's foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar said in a news conference that the deal is being carried out due to a "commitment to our brothers and sisters who are being held in captivity".
He added: "I want to make it clear that Israel is committed to achieve all the goals of the war that the security cabinet determined, that includes a return of all our hostages and the dismantling of Hamas.
"This war could have ended long ago if Hamas laid down its weapons and handed over our hostages."
The foreign minister also warned that if Hamas were to stay in power the "regional instability might continue" in Gaza and stressed that what happens now is a "temporary ceasefire".
He said: "We are determined to achieve the objectives of the war."
LAST-MINUTE WOBBLE
The ceasefire’s path to implementation was anything but smooth.
Late on Saturday night, the fragile deal appeared to be teetering on the edge of collapse as terror group Hamas still hadn't released the agreed hostage list.
Netanyahu warned the ceasefire deal was at risk as Israel would not go ahead until Hamas released the list of hostages to be freed.
In a statement released on Saturday, Netanyahu's office emphasised Israel's stance.
It read: "We will not move forward with the outline until we receive the list of hostages to be released, as agreed.
"Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. The sole responsibility lies with Hamas."
Israel promised to continue to fight in Gaza until the names were received.
Israeli tanks continued to shell areas in Gaza this morning, with Israeli Defence Force (IDF) officials saying "terror targets" were hit.
Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on technical field reasons.
US President-elect Donald Trump said earlier this week "there had been a handshake", fuelling positive expectations of a ceasefire agreement.
The world had been waiting with bated breath as negotiators hammered out a peace deal.
For over a year, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have worked behind the scenes to craft a ceasefire plan, culminating in this week's announcement that a deal had been reached.
The exchange, mediated by the Red Cross, marks a poignant moment in the ceasefire in a step toward de-escalation.
The ceasefire agreement, hammered out over months of diplomatic efforts also outlines a detailed three-phase roadmap.
The initial phase focuses on a six-week cessation of hostilities, during which critically vulnerable hostages will be released.
Displaced Palestinians will be permitted to return to northern Gaza as Israeli forces withdraw from key population centres.
To address urgent humanitarian needs, 600 truckloads of aid, including 50 carrying fuel, will enter Gaza daily during this period.
The second phase will see Hamas release the remaining hostages, primarily male soldiers, in exchange for further prisoner releases.
Israeli troops will complete their withdrawal from Gaza, marking a significant de-escalation in the conflict.
However, negotiations will continue during this stage to ensure the terms of the agreement are upheld and that no violations occur.
In the final phase, efforts will focus on reconciliation and rebuilding.
This will involve the return of the bodies of hostages who did not survive captivity to their families, bringing a painful chapter to a close.
Simultaneously, a long-term reconstruction plan for Gaza, overseen by international authorities, will be initiated to address the widespread destruction and humanitarian crisis caused by the war.
THE PATH TO PEACE
The agreement marks a significant turning point after more than a year of intense conflict, which began with Hamas’s surprise attacks on October 7, 2023.
The terror group's brutal bloodbath marked 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.
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.
In response, Israel launched a relentless military campaign in Gaza, killing more than 11,000 Palestinians and displacing over 1.9 million residents.
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.
Entire neighbourhoods were reduced to rubble, and Gaza’s infrastructure teetered on the brink of collapse.
Despite the devastation, a breakthrough came as diplomatic mediators from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt secured an initial framework for a ceasefire.
The deal, finalised under immense pressure, aims to address both immediate humanitarian needs and broader political grievances.
WHAT LIES AHEAD
While the ceasefire brings a welcome reprieve, challenges remain.
The successful implementation of subsequent phases hinges on fragile trust between the parties, with Netanyahu warning that Israel remains prepared to resume its campaign should Hamas falter.
For families awaiting the return of loved ones or grieving the loss of their homes, today offers a moment of cautious hope.
After months of bloodshed, the world watches as both sides take tentative steps toward peace.
The road ahead is uncertain, but for now, the guns are silent.
Meanwhile, Israel announced that it had recovered the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier who was killed in the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, in a special operation.
The bodies of Shaul and another soldier, Hadar Goldin, remained in Gaza after the 2014 war and had not been returned despite a public campaign by their families.
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As the ceasefire deal continues to be held, Israeli security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned from government in opposition to the ceasefire deal.
The far-right minister viewed the deal as Israel giving in to Hamas.