Israeli hostages 'stable'; Emily Damari posts 'rock on' emoji to symbolise 2 missing fingers

Israel hospital says the three women hostages released by Hamas are in stable condition.

Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were released on Sunday after 471 days in Hamas captivity.

Dr Sefi Mendelovich, deputy director general of health at Sheba Medical Centre in Ramat Gan, said all three of them are "stable".

She added that they are carrying other all required tests to ascertain the clinical condition of the hostages and it will take some more days.

Emily Damari said she is "the happiest" person in the world. "Love, love, love... I have returned to my beloved life," she said.

She also posted a "rock on" emoji to symbolise her two missing fingers. She lost her fingers on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants shot her before abducting her from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

Her mother Mandy Damari said Emily's health is much better than they had expected. “Yesterday, I finally got to hug Emily, just as I had dreamed of doing for a long time,” Mandy said is a statement via the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

She said it was a joy to watch "Emily's strength, determination and charisma" after she got home. "She has her life back," the mother added.

Thanking the public for supporting them, she said that they are all an integral part of Emily's family. She urged the authorities to ensure the ceasefire remains intact until all hostages return home.

Romi Gonen's mother Meirav Leshem Gonen said she could not believe the "new reality" as her daughter returns home, adding that this reality should become true for the remaining hostages too.

In another Facebook post, Leshem Gonen said she is in "alternative reality, disconnected from the outside world, in which nothing exists but family."