See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy JACK HARDY, NEWS REPORTER Published: 15:40 BST, 28 August 2026 | Updated: 15:46 BST, 28 August 2026
For the many hundreds of days she was trapped in a living hell below Gaza, Emily Damari must have been almost certain a day like this would never come.But now the former British-Israeli hostage, who spent 471 terrifying days being held captive in the Hamas terror tunnels, has married her influencer girlfriend in a joyous celebration in Tel Aviv.Ms Damari, 30, this week tied the knot with her partner Danielle Amit, 36, whom she met as she began rebuilding her life in the months after her release in January 2025.She had endured an unimaginably harrowing ordeal after being kidnapped from her kibbutz on October 7 2023, when gunmen shot off two of her fingers, with another bullet lodging in her leg.For the next year, she lived in almost constant pain from her injuries as the terrorists shuttled her through their elaborate tunnel network deep below Gaza. She was often forced to squeeze into a cage with up to six others.Ms Damari was finally freed alongside 32 fellow hostages in a ceasefire deal last year and propelled to international fame after an image of her posing defiantly with her wounded hand went viral – a symbol of freedom and courage.She met Ms Amit shortly afterwards and they confirmed their relationship publicly in June last year, with an engagement following this January - one year after Ms Damari’s release.The wedding celebrations on Thursday began with an intimate dinner for family and close friends, before she and her partner exchanged vows beneath a chuppah - a canopy used in Jewish wedding ceremonies - joined by their dog, Mayo.The ceremony was followed by a huge celebration as the couple and their guests came together for a night of music, dancing and festivities. Emily Damari (right), 30, this week tied the knot with her partner Danielle Amit, 36, whom she met as she began rebuilding her life in the months after her release in January 2025. Ms Damari and her partner exchanged vows beneath a chuppah - a canopy used in Jewish wedding ceremonies The happy couple were joined by their dog, Mayo The ceremony was followed by a huge celebration as the couple and their guests came together for a night of music, dancing and festivities Emily Damari's pose with her injured hand has become a symbol of freedom and courageAmong those in attendance were several of Ms Damari’s fellow former hostages, including her best friends, twin brothers Gali and Ziv Berman, who were snatched at the same time as her by Hamas.Speaking at the couple’s wedding celebration, Ms Damari’s mother, Mandy, who led an international campaign for her release, told the assembled guests: ‘There are moments in a parent’s life when you look at your child and realise just how far they have travelled, and tonight, looking at Emily standing beside Dani, is one of those moments.‘Because there was a time when I wasn't sure I would ever see Emily again. For 471 days, she was held in captivity.‘And during those endless days and nights, there were moments when the thought of standing here tonight, seeing my daughter alive, safe, happy, and standing beside the person she loves, would have been impossible to imagine.‘So Danielle, you can probably understand why tonight means more to me than just a wedding. It is a celebration of life. Of love. Of hope. And of a future that, for a very long time, I wasn't sure Emily would have.‘Then I look at the two of you together, and I realise just how much there is to celebrate.’Ms Amit is an Israeli food influencer who is known for her homemade recipes. She wore a white lace gown, while Ms Damari wore an ivory double-breasted suit. The outfits were by the Israeli fashion designer Oria Azran.
