Emily Damali Shares Her Harrowing Experience as a Hamas Hostage

Emily Damali, a former hostage of Hamas, received a warm welcome with a standing ovation as she took the stage at Temple Emanuel in New York City. Having spent 471 days in captivity, the 28-year-old spoke candidly to an audience filled with supporters, sharing the profound impact of her ordeal since October 7.

Damali expressed the importance of sharing her experiences, noting, “It was a very important opportunity for me to share my story and experience as a Hamas hostage in Gaza for 471 days.” She recalled intense moments: “They shot my hand. They shot my dog,” revealing the traumatic events that unfolded during her captivity.

Her release, which followed a gripping moment where she managed to push a terrorist during her transfer to the Red Cross, led to her notoriety online.

On the day of her capture, she vividly described how Hamas militants invaded her home in Kibbutz Kfar Azha. “They were inside a safe room and shot me in the hand. The first thing they did was shoot me in the hand,” she recalled. Tragically, her dog was killed soon after. “They just stared at her and shot her in the head,” she added, reflecting the horror of that day.

As the militants took her towards Gaza, she begged for her life, pleading, “No, no. Shoot me. I don’t want to be a hostage.” Instead, she was taken across the border, setting off a harrowing experience that lasted more than 15 months.

During her captivity, she mentioned witnessing scenes in Shifa Hospital that contradicted media reports about its status as a private facility. “That hospital… I see it on Al Jazeera and they say there are private hospitals. So, let me tell you…this is not a private hospital,” she asserted. She described encountering armed terrorists and dead bodies while being treated there.

Throughout her ordeal, she was moved between various locations, including apartments and empty warehouses, often without access to basic necessities. “You go to sleep every night in fear that they will rape you,” she shared, emphasizing the heightened vulnerability of women in captivity.

Damali resisted the label of “prisoner” imposed by her captors, challenging their treatment with inquiries about her rights. “If you call me a prisoner, why can’t I eat three meals a day? Why can’t I talk to my mother?” she said defiantly.

Monitoring broadcasts from Al Jazeera provided her with a glimpse of the protests happening back home, including those at Columbia University. “I couldn’t believe it. Students protesting for something they know nothing about,” she said, expressing disbelief at the naivety of some activists. Her comments to her captors about LGBTQ activists in the protests, they simply laughed in agreement.

Her endurance was buoyed by the demonstrations in Israel, where she felt connected to the efforts being made to advocate for hostages like herself. “We waited for that Sabbath every week,” she recounted, indicating the hope these rallies brought them.

In an emotional moment, Damali revealed her fears regarding the well-being of her family during her captivity. She prayed for reassurance, which came when she saw her mother’s poster on television. Upon her eventual return to Israel, the news that her family was safe was a profound relief.

Reflecting on her release and the remaining hostages, she conveyed a strong message: “Everyone deserves a dignified burial.” She has since begun writing a book, inspired by her experiences, and hopes to share her story with the world.