Freed British captive, Emily Damari, shared with the Mirror her plan to write a book detailing her 471 days in Hamas captivity and her subsequent recovery after being freed. The book is expected to be released around October 7th, the day she was abducted in 2023 along with her friends Ziv and Gali Berman.
According to a close friend, Emily intends to release the book in the UK as a tribute to her loyal British supporters and fans of Spurs, who campaigned for her release during her time in captivity. The book is scheduled for publication around October 7th.
After her release, Emily, accompanied by her mother Mandy, attended a Spurs match and expressed her gratitude to her supporters, referring to the club as her family. Little Brown will publish the tell-all book recounting Emily’s ordeal after being abducted from her kibbutz.
Hamas kidnapped 251 individuals and caused the death of approximately 1,200 people in a single day, including some British nationals. Three Israeli hostages, including Emily, were released by Hamas on January 19, 2025, following a series of abductions. Emily’s dog was killed during her abduction, and she sustained injuries to her hand from Hamas gunmen.
Emily, who holds both British and Israeli citizenship, currently resides in Israel. She expressed satisfaction upon learning that her captor had been killed in an Israeli military operation, emphasizing the need for accountability for the attacks.
Emily’s defiant gesture of holding up her remaining fingers before a hand-saving surgery became a symbol of resilience displayed across Israel and at Spurs football matches.