British Hostage Emily Damari Released After 471 Days in Gaza, Marking End of Long Ordeal

Emily Damari, a 28-year-old British-Israeli woman, was released from captivity in Gaza after 471 days. She was one of three female hostages released by Hamas on Sunday.

Damari and the other two women, Doron Steinbrecher and Romi Gonen, were seen leaving a vehicle in Gaza surrounded by armed Hamas men and taken to the border with Israel by the International Red Cross. Their mothers were reported to have been allowed to the border to hug their daughters for the first time, while other relatives waited for them to arrive at a hospital in Israel.

Damari's mother, Mandy, thanked everyone who had never stopped fighting for Emily throughout her ordeal. She added that while Emily's nightmare in Gaza was over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues.

The three women are in a stable condition and will be monitored for a few days, according to a news conference at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

I wish them all the very best as they begin the road to recovery after the intolerable trauma they have experienced. We stand ready to offer assistance and support.

However, today also represents another day of suffering for those who haven't made it home yet so while this ceasefire deal should be welcomed, we must not forget about those who remain in captivity under Hamas.

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. The UK stands ready to do everything it can to support a permanent and peaceful solution.