Emily Damari, a now-28-year-old British-Israeli fan of the soccer team Tottenham Hotspur is set to be freed after over a year in Hamas captivity as part of the first phase of a hostage-ceasefire deal.
On the morning of October 7, Damari was abducted from her Kfar Aza apartment along with 37 other residents of her kibbutz.
Damari’s friend Bar Kislev told Israel’s Channel 12 that she saw Damari’s vehicle being driven around the Kibbutz at 11 am on the day of the invasion.
The terrorists “shot [her] in the hand,” and she was “injured by shrapnel in her leg, blindfolded, bundled into the back of her own car, and driven back to Gaza”, according to her mother Mandy.
The invading terrorists murdered Damari’s dog Choocha, after they shot him in the back of the neck.
Damari grew up in southeast London but moved to Israel after falling in love to start a family, Sky News reported.
Mandy has campaigned in the United Kingdom and Israel and credited US President-elect Donald Trump for the latest agreement which may see her daughter’s return.
“President-elect Donald Trump, you have really made my dreams come true. A deal has been signed,” she told the Daily Mail.
“But it’s not over,” she continued. “My nightmare is still going on until I see Emily and all the other 98 hostages back in Israel with their families.”
Adam Rose, a lawyer representing the interests of British and British-linked hostages, told the Jewish Chronicle “I don’t think there’s yet any expectation of who will come out immediately. There’s lots of rumors but I don’t think anyone should rely on that at all.”
Despite news indicating Damari may soon be freed from Gaza, her mother told the BBC last month she feared Damari may be dead “And if she’s not dead, she’s not getting enough food to eat, she’s not able to wash herself, drink water, she could be ill.”
“She’s suffering from gunshot wounds to her hand and her leg… I worry every day, I worry every second because in the next second, she could be murdered, just because she’s there,” Mandy continued.
‘She’s one of our own, she’s one of our own, Emily Damari, bring her home’
Before her abduction, Damari enjoyed watching soccer matches, watching Ed Sheeran concerts and shopping.
In honor of the young fan, historic soccer rival clubs fans for Spurs and Arsenal united in a demonstration to honor Damari on Wednesday. Yellow balloons were released on the 7th minute of the North London Derby.
At Tottenham, fans have been known to chant, “She’s one of our own, she’s one of our own, Emily Damari, bring her home.”
Mandy expressed, according to the Jewish News, “I am overwhelmed by the support that Arsenal and Tottenham fans want to show for Emily tonight. I always say that anyone who helps to share Emily’s story and do what they can in the campaign to bring her home is a part of our family.
“My dear husband, Emily’s father, was a football coach on our kibbutz, and he always said that football can bring the world together. He’s certainly been proven right today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope that Emily can be with you all at the next derby.”
In a groundbreaking development, Emily Damari, who has been held captive by Hamas for over a year, is set to be released in a deal brokered by Israel. The young woman was kidnapped while traveling in Gaza and has been held in captivity ever since.
The details of the deal remain confidential, but it is believed that Israel has agreed to release a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Emily’s freedom. This news comes as a huge relief to Emily’s family and friends, who have been tirelessly campaigning for her release.
Emily’s ordeal has captured the attention of people around the world, with many calling for her immediate release. It is hoped that this deal will bring an end to her suffering and allow her to be reunited with her loved ones.
We send our thoughts and prayers to Emily and her family during this difficult time and hope for a swift and safe return home. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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