Mother of freed captive: "Emily is doing better than expected"

Emily Damari, the 28-year-old British-“Israeli” woman released yesterday as part of a prisoner exchange, is in better condition than her family anticipated, according to her mother’s statement to Ynet. 

Damari was among the first group of “Israeli” captives released from Gaza as the ceasefire agreement took effect, alongside fellow captives Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31. This release marks the beginning of the Gaza ceasefire deal, which commenced on Sunday morning.

Read more: Freed Palestinian prisoners recount harrowing experiences in "Israeli" detention

Social media users widely commented on how well Emily appeared.

They look healthy.

— Deano (@Deano8886491) January 19, 2025

She doesn't look exhausted or tortured , but rather well-fed and well-treated.

— Fave (@FaveYurix) January 20, 2025

In exchange for the three “Israeli” captives, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) released a batch of Palestinian political prisoners, including 69 women and 21 children, with 76 of them from the West Bank and 14 from Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

However, several recently freed Palestinian political prisoners have shared harrowing accounts of their experiences in “Israeli” prisons, speaking to the media after their release early Monday as part of the same exchange deal.