Emily Demari, who survived 471 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, appeared publicly in the UK for the first time on Thursday, at an event also attended by President Isaac Herzog.
“I didn’t want to be kidnapped. I would have preferred to die. I took the terrorist’s rifle, pressed it to my head, and said: ‘Shoot me! Shoot me!’” she revealed.
She went on to describe the harsh conditions of her captivity, including being confined in a tiny cage, and thanked the Jewish community in the UK for its ongoing support in the efforts to secure her release.
“The captivity was a nightmare. Every day was a struggle. I tried to remind my captors that I was a hostage, not a criminal. Prisoners are supposed to have rights—three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, basic hygiene, contact with family—I had none of that. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I just woke up one morning and found myself in this situation.
"Despite everything, I stayed active, kept a sharp mind, and didn’t give up. I drew strength from my faith, from the other captives with me, and from thoughts of my family. I tried to ‘educate’ my captors, to tell them I was not a criminal, and that in the end, everything would be fine, that I would return home. Their answer was always the same: ‘Everything is fine, we’ll go home soon, we’ll finish our work.’”
When asked how she sees her future, Emily replied: “I really can’t see my future. My best friends are still captives. There are still hostages in captivity. My future, I just want to be a good mother to my children. I want the opportunity to speak to people and tell my story, so people know what we went through. That’s it.”
President Herzog addressed Emily, saying: “You touched me to the core of my soul. When Emily told me that during her terrible captivity she heard me speaking to the nation, and drew strength and comfort from my words, it was deeply moving. How wonderful to see Emily here tonight.”
Regarding the war in Gaza, he emphasized to the audience: “We have the full right to defend ourselves. In our fight against the barbarity of Hamas and in our efforts to prevent Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel is defending not only itself; Israel is fighting on behalf of the entire free world, for all peace-loving nations, for Europe, for the United Kingdom. Israel is on the frontlines, fighting extremism and terrorism worldwide.”
He addressed allegations of genocide in Gaza, which had arisen during numerous protests during his visit to the UK: “As President of the State of Israel, I am exposed every day to the widest range of intelligence, and I want to clarify my position regarding Gaza: There is no genocide in Gaza, and there is no famine in Gaza. Any other claim is a complete lie. It is important to remember—Hamas forcibly seized control of Gaza and turned it into a terrorist base aimed at destroying Israel. Thousands of rockets and launchers were hidden in mosques and kindergartens, in bedrooms and living rooms of civilians. Residential buildings were replaced with tunnels and shafts. And in those terrible tunnels, there are 48 hostages awaiting release. We will not be able to truly breathe as long as our hostages are in Hamas’ basements, and we will not stop until we bring our people home—every single one of them.”
He concluded his speech by addressing the rising antisemitism worldwide: “The hatred of Israel and the extremism we see on the streets of London is threatening and frightening. This extremism produces systemic wrong decisions, news broadcasts of blatant lies, and the spread of blood libels. This is the antisemitism that all of you protested against just last Sunday, proudly declaring: ‘Enough!’ We know this is happening against the backdrop of a severe rise in antisemitism that this community has suffered in recent years, including threats, intimidation, expressions of hatred on the street, in the media, and online. Yet you stood strong and refused to be silenced.”