Freed hostage Emily Damari lights a torch at Independence Day event; Eli Sharabi is introduced but was not present at rehearsal now being screened

As the prerecorded Independence Day opening ceremony continues, the hosts introduce the evening’s torch-lighters, including Eli Sharabi, whose wife Lianne and daughters Noiya and Yahel were murdered on October 7, and who was taken captive from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri. His brother, Yossi Sharabi, was also taken hostage and was killed in captivity, likely as the result of an IDF strike.

Eli was returned as part of a ceasefire deal in February and since then has spoken widely and publicly about the horrors he faced in captivity and the need to bring everyone still there home.

Sharabi, however, was not present at the recorded rehearsal for the event which is now being screened, and consequently does not appear.

The recording moves on to the next torch-lighter, Emily Damari, who was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and lost two of her fingers when she was shot during her kidnapping. The day of her release in January, an image of her using that hand to make a “rock on” emoji quickly became a viral symbol of resilience and survival.

Damari says she is lighting the torch for the 59 hostages still held in Gaza, stating, “We need to do everything to get them back home.”

She thanks the security forces still fighting to defend the country, and mentions those widowed and orphaned by the war.

To her friends, hostages Gali and Ziv Berman, she promises, “We will yet see rosy sunsets together.”

שורדת השבי אמילי דמארי השיאה משואה: "גל וזיוי – מבטיחה שעוד נראה שקיעות ורודות יחד" pic.twitter.com/jfiQiVfnzK

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Damari lights the torch to enthusiastic applause from the audience at the rehearsal.