A British-Israeli hostage held by Hamas in Gaza said on Sunday she was "resurrected" and "the happiest person in the world" after being reunited with her family.

In her first comments since her release, 28-year-old Emily Damari thanked family and friends who fought for her release. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am the happiest person in the world," she said in Hebrew on Instagram.

Damali was released after 471 days in captivity as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, along with two other Israeli hostages - Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Stein, 31 Doron Steinbrecher was released together.

The Tottenham Hotspur fan, who was born in Israel to a British mother and an Israeli father, returned from Gaza with a bandaged hand. During a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, she was shot and kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Kfar al-Azha, losing two fingers. She ended her Instagram message with a "rock" emoji, which may be a reference to the finger she lost in the ordeal.

Her mother Mandy Damari, who was born in Surrey and grew up in Beckenham, south-east London, praised her daughter's resilience. She is pictured embracing her at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel's largest, where Gonen and Steinbrecher were reunited with their families.

"Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug I've always dreamed of," Mandy Damari, 63, said Monday. “I am grateful from the bottom of my heart to the many people who contributed to bringing Emily home and provided support to me and my family.

"I'm pleased to report that Emily is doing much better since her release than any of us expected. I'm also pleased that the world got a glimpse of her energy and charisma during her release. In Emily's own words Said she was the happiest girl in the world and her life was back.

"In this moment of great happiness for our family, we must also remember that there are 94 other hostages still alive. The ceasefire must continue and the last hostages must be returned to their families. See Emily's resilience It's great, but it's still early days. As you saw yesterday, Emily lost two fingers on her left hand. She now needs time with her loved ones and doctors to begin the road to recovery."

"I'm pleased to be able to say that Emily is in good spirits and on the road to recovery," she told a news conference at Sheba Hospital on Monday. "She is a very strong, resilient young woman."

Gal Kubani, a friend who visited Damali in hospital, told AFP she "came back to us very strong, smiling and brave as a hero" and was "in good condition".

"We saw her, we lifted her in the air, all our friends. We hugged her, we cried, we got emotional, we yelled, we screamed," said 28-year-old Qubani.

"To actually see her stand up, that's the most exciting and fun thing in the world."

Lawyers representing the Damari family and other British-linked hostages in Gaza said Emily appeared to be "in good condition and in good spirits". Adam Ross said he had not yet spoken to Damari, but added: "You have seen the images where she has obviously lost several fingers - she was shot in the leg and hand while being held hostage. - She seems to be doing great. She looks - just looking at these pictures - very smiling and seems very moving, which is great.

"I know she will be in hospital for some time before she can be fully examined and there is no doubt she will need mental health and physical health support for some time to come."

Ross said he had exchanged several WhatsApp messages with Damali's mother, whom he described as "delighted."

British Foreign Secretary David Lamy said it was "very touching" to see the photo of Damali reunited with her mother. "I am very close to her family and I think the whole country will be delighted that she is free," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Steinbrecher's family thanked supporters for giving them strength "during our darkest hour." "Our hero Dodo begins her journey to recovery today after spending 471 days in Hamas captivity," they said in a statement on Sunday.

All three women were evaluated in Sheba, and doctors reported that their condition was stable and would be monitored for several days.

A total of 33 hostages will be released over the next six weeks in exchange for some 1,700 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.