Released Hostage Emily Damari Shares Harrowing Details of Captivity

Three years after the October 7th massacre, released hostage Emily Damari has shared firsthand accounts of her time in Hamas captivity in Gaza. In an Instagram post, Damari described the medical treatment she received from Hamas terrorists and her struggle with injuries sustained during her captivity. She recounted being held at Shifa Hospital in Gaza, detailing the grim conditions.

"I was in a disgusting room full of blood, a body on the floor next to me. A doctor approached and introduced himself as 'Doctor Hamas,' with ten terrorists beside him pointing guns at my head," Damari described, adding that she prayed for survival in those moments. She also revealed that she lived for four months with an open gunshot wound in her leg that continued to bleed, and stitches that were supposed to be removed after two weeks remained in her hand for an entire year.

Damari stated that her very survival was a miracle. She also mentioned fellow hostages who were with her, identifying Gali Berman as her best friend during the terrifying moments of her captivity. She also personally thanked Romi Gonen for helping her cope with the situation in Gaza.

Concluding her post, Damari expressed gratitude to her family, security forces, and the Israeli public for their efforts in securing her release. "Thank you to the dear people who never stopped fighting for us so we could return to you, to hug, to tell our stories, and to heal," she wrote.