Former Hamas Hostage Emily Damari Proposes to Girlfriend on Anniversary of Her Release

Former Israeli hostage Emily Damari, who spent more than 15 months hiding her sexuality from her Hamas captors, celebrated her one-year anniversary of freedom by proposing to her girlfriend, Israeli influencer Danielle Amit.Ms. Damari popped the question on Thursday during a gathering with family and loved ones marking her return to Israel on January 19, 2025. The newly engaged couple shared the news on Instagram, posting a series of photos capturing the sweet moment.Before going down on one knee, Ms. Damari paused the celebration to speak about her close friendships with Kibbutz Kfar Aza neighbors Gali and Ziv Berman, twin siblings who were dragged into Gaza alongside her after Hamas terrorists infiltrated their kibbutz on October 7, 2023.Gali was seized by terrorists after running to Ms. Damari’s house to check on her safety. During the invasion, Ms. Damari was shot in the hand and leg, and her dog was fatally shot in the head. Ziv was captured separately around the same time.During her speech, Ms. Damari spoke about the relief she felt when the twins were released in October. “Before they came back, everything was different. I was torn up, sad and weak,” the 29-year-old British-Israeli citizen said.Ms. Damari and Ms. Amit went public with their relationship in June. Their announcement caused quite a stir as Ms. Amit, a popular Israeli influencer, had never publicly dated a woman before. Sharing the news on Instagram, Ms. Amit wrote: “I didn’t want paparazzi, and I didn’t want rumors starting. I wanted it to come from me to you, the way I want to present it and share it.” Ms. Damari has discussed in interviews how she concealed her sexuality from her captors because coming out as gay would have been “worse than them knowing I was Jewish or Israeli.” She shared that when she asked one of her guards what he would do if he discovered his brother was gay, he replied: “I would kill him.”Ms. Damari was one of the first three Israeli hostages released under the first phase of an American-brokered ceasefire deal in January 2025. Upon her return, she became a tireless advocate for those still held captive and spoke openly about the horrors she endured. She quickly emerged as a symbol of survival, and her hand — left in a perpetual “rock on” gesture after her two middle fingers were shot off — became an iconic symbol in Israel.

Former Hamas Hostage Emily Damari Proposes to Girlfriend on Anniversary of Her Release

Former Hamas Hostage Emily Damari Proposes to Girlfriend on Anniversary of Her Release

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