Released hostage Emily Demari addressed the British media today about the complex surgeries she underwent to treat severe injuries from the October 7th massacre, which were improperly treated during her 471 days in Hamas captivity. "I have fully embraced my hand, my pain, and my scars. To me, they represent freedom, hope and strength. The surgery on my hand and leg went much better than I expected. My recovery will take time; my hand will never fully heal, but the terrible pain I felt for a year and a half after my nerves were stitched together in the first surgery at Shifa Hospital in Gaza is gone," she shared. "The doctors and nurses did an amazing job. The severe pain I had for a year and a half due to poor treatment in captivity has significantly decreased. Now, with rehabilitation and physiotherapy, I hope my hand will return to better functionality than before," she added. Emily, 28, was shot when Hamas militants broke into her home in the Dor Tzair neighborhood of Kibbutz Kfar Aza. She recounted that during the attack, Hamas terrorists shot her dog dead while she was holding it, injuring her left hand and right leg in the process. Related articles: 'I'd like to get as many hostages as we can' Qatar comments on affair, makes no mention of PM's staff Hamas will not respond to Israel’s ceasefire counter-proposal Senior Hamas official: We are ready to release Israeli hostages Emily's mother stated that her daughter was inexpertly treated, with the two injured fingers sewn together without proper sutures and the wounds only partially sealed. "It is nothing short of a miracle that Emily did not contract an infection in the tunnels," she commented. After her release from captivity, Emily was recorded in her first video call with her brother Tom, marking a "V" with her injured hand and sporting a broad smile. A gesture mimicking her injuries, with the two middle fingers folded halfway down, has been used by several Israeli sports players as a sign of solidarity with the hostages.
