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EMILY SPEAKS
Brave Brit hostage Emily Damari says ‘I came back to life’ in first words since being freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza
Emily thanked her friends and family for the support in an emotional Instagram post
BRAVE British hostage Emily Damari has spoken out for the first time since she was released by Hamas.
The 28-year-old said she is “the happiest person in the world” in the first Instagram post after 15 months in captivity.
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She wrote: "I'm loving, loving, loving. Thanks be to G-d. Thanks to my family, to Oreli, to the best friends I have in this world. I have returned to life, my loved ones.
"I have managed to see just a tiny bit of everything, and you have shattered my heart from emotion. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am the happiest person in the world, just to be."
At the end of her post she signed with a "rock on " emoji symbolising her two missing fingers she lost the day she was shot in the hand by Hamas.
Spurs fan Emily was among the first three captives to be freed from a list of 33 due for release over six weeks.
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Dramatic footage showed her being surrounded by masked gun-wielding terrorists as she got out of the van alongside Israeli captives Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31.
Horrific footage by mask-wearing crowds surround the van as the three women were about to be transferred to the Red Cross and released back to Israel.
The three victims were picked up by the International Committee of the Red Cross team before being handed over to IDF troops on Sunday at 5.40pm local time (3.40pm in the UK).
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.
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Emily was shot in the hand and suffered shrapnel wounds to the leg when she was snatched from the Kfar Aza kibbutz village on October 7.
Her London-born mum Mandy, 63, released a heartwarming statement following the return of her beloved daughter, confirming "Emily is finally home";.
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She said: "Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of.
"From the bottom of my heart I would like to thank the many people who have played a role in bringing Emily home and given their support to me and my family.
"As I said over the course of the campaign, you are all Emily’s family.
"I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated.
"I am also happy that during her release the world was given a glimpse of her feisty and charismatic personality.
"In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back.
"In this incredibly happy moment for our family, we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain.
"The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families."
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Every morning since her daughter was snatched, Mandy has given her daughter an imaginary hug and sent her a virtual message to "keep strong, keep alive," telling her "you are going to be okay".
She has described the past 15 months as "a nightmare, living a life like this."
Emily grew up in southeast London before moving to Israel in her 20s.
The trio were the first among 33 Israeli hostages who are meant to be released in the coming six weeks in a deal that includes a pause in fighting, the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and increased fuel and aid deliveries for Gaza.
The ceasefire was set back by a few hours on Sunday after intense last-minute negotiations and a near-collapse of the deal.
Four more hostages will be returned on the seventh day then every week for a period of four weeks.
The next release of hostages and prisoners is due Saturday.
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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.
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