Families of the freed hostages say the three are doing well after return from captivity

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

This handout photo shows family members of the three released hostages speaking at Sheba Medical Center, in Ramat Gan on January 20, 2025 (Paulina Patimer/ Hostages Forum)
This handout photo shows family members of the three released hostages speaking at Sheba Medical Center, in Ramat Gan on January 20, 2025 (Paulina Patimer/ Hostages Forum)

Parents and siblings of the three released hostages, Doron Steinbrecher, Emily Damari, and Romi Gonen, say all three young women are doing well, while thanking the Israeli government, the negotiators, US President Donald Trump, and the Israeli people for their support and assistance in bringing the young women home.

“Doron is smiling, she is here, we are starting to deal with her recuperation. She is okay, she is strong and brave,” says Yamit Ashkenazi, Steinbrecher’s sister.

Ashkenazi says her sister is surrounded by family, friends, and all of Israel, and in particular thanks their home community of Kibbutz Kfar Aza for its ongoing support.

Ashkenazi relays a message from her sister, asking Israelis to keep rallying and calling for the return of all the hostages.

“The fact that I returned home doesn’t mean the others don’t have to come home,” Ashkenazi quotes her sister as saying. “Go out to the streets. We have to complete all stages of the deal.”

Tom Damari, the brother of freed hostage Emily Damari, thanks the soldiers and reservists, as well as those who fell in battle “so that we could hug Emily again.” He also thanks the government, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, government hostage envoy Gal Hirsch, the friends and family of Emily, and God.

“Am Yisrael Chai,” says Damari.

His mother, Mandy Damari, a British citizen, reports that her daughter is in high spirits, saying in English that Emily is “an amazing, strong, and resilient young woman.”

She thanks former US president Joe Biden in addition to Trump and other leaders and negotiators around the world, as well as the British government for its ongoing support.

“To the thousands that have messaged our family the last 24 hours, all of you have played a role. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” she says.

The final speaker is Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of Romi Gonen, who is a familiar face in the struggle for the hostages’ release.

She names and speaks about Romi’s friends from the Nova desert rave who were killed on October 7, 2023.

Leshem Gonen thanks Israeli and world leaders who helped put the ceasefire in place, and mentions the bereaved, the soldiers, and their families, as well as the injured, saying it is her wish to support them all.

“We are the Israeli nation, a special nation that wants peace,” she says. “There are 94 more of our brothers and sisters in Gaza, we are brave and courageous and we will get them back. Let us hold hands and win.”

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