‘They Couldn’t Know I Was Gay’ Emily Damari Speaks Out on Captivity

In a deeply personal interview, Emily Damari, a 28-year-old Israeli woman, recounted her 471-day ordeal as a hostage held by Hamas in Gaza. Abducted from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7, 2023, attack, Damari's captivity was marked by fear, physical injury, and the constant need to conceal her identity.

One of the most harrowing aspects of her imprisonment was the necessity to hide her sexual orientation. "They must not know such a thing," she explained, referring to her homosexuality. "From their perspective, they think it's a sickness." When she inquired what a captor would do if he discovered his brother was gay, his chilling response was, "I would kill him."

Damari endured significant physical trauma, including the loss of two fingers after being shot during her abduction. She was taken to Shifa Hospital in Gaza, where a doctor informed her of the amputation. "I respond, ‘Cool... I’m a hostage in Gaza, I’m missing two fingers what could be worse?" she recounted :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.

Throughout her captivity, Damari was moved between various locations, including civilian homes and underground tunnels. She was often held with other hostages, including twins Gali and Ziv Berman, and later reunited with fellow hostage Romi Gonen. Despite the dire circumstances, Damari found ways to maintain her spirit, engaging in physical exercises like sit-ups to release energy and even organizing a "lice competition" to keep morale up.

Her captors gave her nicknames such as "Shajaa," meaning brave, and "John Cena," after the WWE wrestler, acknowledging her resilience and defiance. Damari's curiosity and questions about the construction of the tunnels and the captors' operations often irritated her jailers, leading them to nickname her "Fuduli," meaning curious in Arabic.

Upon her release in January 2025, alongside Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher, Damari expressed feelings of guilt for those still in captivity. "Getting on the plane, sitting down, eating, drinking everything comes with a lot of guilt," she said, acknowledging the hostages still held in Gaza.

Damari's story is a testament to the strength and determination of the Israeli people. Her courage in the face of unimaginable adversity serves as an inspiration to all who value freedom and human dignity.

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