Emily Damari, a British-Israeli woman held captive by Hamas for 471 days, has announced she is writing a book detailing her horrific ordeal and remarkable recovery. In an exclusive revelation, she confirmed the publication date is set for on or around October 7th – the anniversary of both her abduction and her eventual freedom.
From Captivity to Chronicle: The Book's Journey
The 28-year-old, who was snatched at gunpoint from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023, said she only began writing once her twin friends, Ziv and Gali Berman, were also released in a late 2024 hostage exchange. Her book will be published by Little Brown and is slated to appear first in the UK. A close friend stated, "Emily wants to pay tribute to her many loyal British supporters and her Spurs fans who kept up pressure for her release all the time she was in the horrific Hamas tunnels."
A Defiant Symbol and a Personal Hell
Damari's captivity was marked by extreme violence from the outset. Hamas gunmen shot dead her dog and severely injured her hand with bullets before taking her hostage. Her unusual V-sign, made with her remaining fingers before a hand-saving operation, became a nationwide symbol of defiance in Israel and among Tottenham Hotspur supporters.
She was one of 251 people kidnapped that day, during attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people, including some British nationals. Damari was finally released on January 19, 2025, alongside fellow hostages Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher.
Homecoming and a Message to Her Captors
Since her release, Damari, who holds joint citizenship and lives in Israel, has embraced life, including watching her beloved Tottenham Hotspur with her mother Mandy from Beckenham, south-east London. Addressing Spurs fans before a match, she emotionally declared, "This is more than a home. It's a family... I am finally really home."
She also spoke of her relief upon learning that one of her Hamas kidnappers, Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita, was killed in an Israeli military operation in June. "One of many. Yes, there should be many more good news like this. We will hold them accountable for it all, God willing," she stated.
The forthcoming book promises to be a harrowing yet hopeful testament to resilience, aimed squarely at the British public who championed her cause during her 471-day nightmare in the Gaza tunnels.
