THE Hamas terrorist who held Brit hostage Emily Damari captive has been assassinated in a targeted airstrike.
Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita, who invaded southern Israel on October 7, 2023, was killed in Gaza City, the Israeli military said.
The IDF shared footage of the strike, stating: “Quneita was a terrorist in Hamas’s Al-Furqan Battalions’ military intelligence, who intruded into Israel during the violent Oct 7 massacre and held Emily Damari captive in his home at the onset of the war.”
Emily Damari grew up in southeast London before moving to Israel in her 20s.
The Spurs fan was shot in the hand and suffered shrapnel wounds to the leg when she was snatched from the Kfar Aza kibbutz village on October 7.
Emily was among the first captives to be freed from a list of 33 due to be released over the coming weeks.
Compelling footage depicted her encircled by masked, armed terrorists as she exited the van with fellow Israeli captives Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31.
Shortly thereafter, images of Emily with her loved ones surfaced, showing her making the “rock on” hand gesture, a sign of solidarity for many Israelis.
Some have even had it tattooed in tribute to the brave young woman.
After her release Emily said: “I’m loving, loving, loving. Thanks be to G-d. Thanks to my family, to Oreli, to the best friends I have in this world. I have returned to life, my loved ones.
“I have managed to see just a tiny bit of everything, and you have shattered my heart from emotion. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am the happiest person in the world, just to be.”
A delighted mum Mandy said: “Thank you to everyone in the UK and around the world who supported the campaign to bring Emily home, and for all your messages here on X.
“You are amazing and we love you all.”
Emily was forced to use a bucket as a toilet and starved as captives were given half a pita bread a day to eat.
Hamas hostages released in November 2023, revealed captives were not allowed to wash or change clothes with many of them contracting lice.
They reported the level of sanitation was atrocious with big groups of hostages being forced to share a toilet with no water causing disease to spread.
A mere few days ago, Hamas said it would release 10 hostages amid ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire deal for war-torn Gaza.
The group’s statement on Thursday came after four days of indirect talks brokered by Qatar in a bid to bring peace for the Gazan people who have been subject to relentless bombing and starvation.
Both Hamas and Israel have spoken positively about the prospects, but there are reportedly a number of crucial sticking points
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long argued that Hamas must be completely disarmed and expelled from Gaza.
In turn, Hamas wants guarantees that the war would not resume after any ceasefire – as happened earlier this year.
It comes just days after President Donald Trump signalled his belief that an agreement for a 60-day truce would be struck before the end of the week.
What happened on October 7?
BY Ellie Doughty, Foreign News Reporter
On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists stormed the border between Gaza and Israel, slaughtering over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals.
They kidnapped some 250 more, with many of them since killed in captivity and some released as part of ongoing negotiations with Israel.
In the 15 months since, Israel has almost completely destroyed the Gaza strip in an effort to eradicate Hamas and bring home its trapped people.
Amid international cries for peace, Israeli PM Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed not to stop until Hamas is destroyed.
As of January 2025 at least 47,000 people inside Gaza have been killed – according to figures shared by local health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave and published by the United Nations.
No international bodies have been allowed into the Strip to formally verify the numbers and Israel has not given a death toll for civilians killed.
The IDF claims to have taken out some 20,000 Hamas terrorists during the war.
Over 1,700 Israelis have died in the conflict including civilians and soldiers – and counting the atrocities of October 7.
The war has sparked involvement from Hamas backer Iran – with high-profile assassinations carried out by Israeli spies inside the country sparking fears of further conflict.
Israel has also been locked in a fierce tit-for-tat battle with Hezbollah across the Lebanese border – leading to the death and displacement of both Lebanese and Israeli people.
