Emily Damari: British hostage who lost two fingers in Hamas attack freed after 15 months

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. British-Israeli Emily Damari, 28, was released alongside two other female captives and reunited with her mother, Mandy, on Sunday evening, after what the family described as nearly 500 “tortuous days” in captivity. “We must now see the remaining phases of the ceasefire deal implemented in full and on schedule, including the release of those remaining hostages and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza.” open image in gallery The moment Emily was delivered by Hamas David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said his thoughts were also with those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the families of UK-linked hostages Eli Sharabi, Oded Lifshitz, and Avinatan Or, who are slated to be released in the coming weeks if the ceasefire holds. open image in gallery Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross speak with fighters of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, in Saraya Square in western Gaza “You are talking about people whose past has been erased, and every horizon of the near future has been wiped away,” said Essam Raja, 38, who is now living in a tent in the so-called humanitarian zone of al-Mawasi, which was bombed just before the ceasefire came into effect. open image in gallery Romi Gonen, left, and Doron Steinbrecher, right, were also free alongside Emily Damari, centre Among those slated to released are Shatha Jaraba, 24, who was arrested in August near Ramallah and held in Israel’s Damon prison where her family said conditions were “extremely difficult”.