Released hostages recall moment they learned loved ones were alive while in Hamas captivity
Romi Gonen and Emily Damari described how, after months in captivity, they discovered the fate of their loved ones through i24NEWS in English
Romi Gonen, a survivor of captivity in Gaza, fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams on Monday morning when she co-hosted the popular Israeli radio show Country on the Road on GAL-GALATZ alongside her fellow former hostage Emily Damari and host Hadar Marx.
The show, considered the most listened-to program on Israeli radio, featured a lineup of songs personally chosen by the two women.
Gonen revealed last week on Uvda (Keshet 12) that during her detention, she dreamed of one day hosting a radio show. “Who could have imagined, in the tunnels of Gaza, that I would one day be on the radio? I didn’t even know it would ever be possible,” she said, recounting how her family dedicated Tyla’s song Water to her during her captivity. The song opened Monday’s program.
Emily Damari reflected on the importance of music during their imprisonment. “Over there, we really had nothing. Fortunately, I had Romi. We would sing this song in Arabic, in a low voice,” she said while introducing a track by Moshe Peretz later in the show.
The broadcast also provided a glimpse into the harrowing experiences the two endured while in Hamas captivity. Damari recounted the moment she discovered her mother was alive. “I didn’t know anything for six months. After six months, I found out Mom was alive,” she told Marks. She explained that the revelation came while watching i24NEWS in English on a makeshift television: “Suddenly we saw her.”
Gonen added: “I told her, ‘Hey, Lula, there is a picture of you.’ I didn’t even know what Emily’s mother looked like, which is funny because she’s my best friend. And in one second she stood up and was like, ‘Hey, Mom!’”
Damari recalled the emotional aftermath: “I was like, MOM! And that was it. We were all done—me, Romi, Naama Levi who was with us. We were all finished.” Gonen described Damari’s reaction: “She literally collapsed. Just like in the movies, she fell to her knees. She was shaking.”
The two also reflected on the difficulties of their first separation after release, during rehabilitation. “We both underwent surgery. Romi had to stay in the hospital, while I left. It was the first time we were separated. It was very hard. We had become vital support for each other,” Damari said.
Gonen, 23, also shared the origins of her dream to host a radio show. “I’ve always loved talking. One day, I joked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me host a live show on Galgalatz? I don’t want anything else.’ This idea became a promise. I swore to myself I would make it happen. Almost a year later, here we are.”