On Friday, Mrs Damari lit the Shabbat candles to mark the start of the Jewish sabbath. Behind the candles a picture of her daughter with a British flag at the side of the picture. Her prayers: that this would be the last Shabbat Emily would be held as a hostage.

Freed British hostage Emily Damari has said she is the “happiest person in the world ” after she was released by Hamas as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel. The 28-year-old was captured during the terror group’s surprise attack on October 7, 2023 and her family has described the battle for her release as “ongoing torture”.