Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Haifa, were the honored guests at the match between the two teams this evening..
Iair Horn, Emily Damari, and Romi Gonen came to their beloved teams’ games for the first time since being released from Hamas captivity.
Emily is a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan and Romi is a Hapoel Haifa fan, and the two attended the match between the teams at Bloomfield Stadium. Iair came to his beloved team’s home match against Maccabi Netanya.
Before the opening whistle, an emotional ceremony was held in their honor.
The two spoke to the crowd from the center of the field, and Romi said: “I want to say thank you very much, both to Maccabi Tel Aviv and to Hapoel Haifa, and to all the fans. Thank you for fighting for us, we need to fight for all the other hostages who returned from Gaza.”Iair Horn, Emily Damari, and Romi Gonen came to their beloved teams’ games for the first time since being released from Hamas captivity.
Emily is a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan and Romi is a Hapoel Haifa fan, and the two attended the match between the teams at Bloomfield Stadium. Iair came to his beloved team’s home match against Maccabi Netanya.
Before the opening whistle, an emotional ceremony was held in their honor.
The two spoke to the crowd from the center of the field, and Romi said: “I want to say thank you very much, both to Maccabi Tel Aviv and to Hapoel Haifa, and to all the fans. Thank you for fighting for us, we need to fight for all the other hostages who returned from Gaza.”
Emily added: “Brothers and sisters in the stands, dear Maccabi family. I can’t find the words. When I was in the darkest days of captivity, you helped me. When I heard on the radio during captivity that we won the championship, I screamed even when I was forbidden to. When I returned, I heard about your struggle. About the signs and shouts; you didn’t give up. Maccabi is family; you proved that every moment. But my heart is heavy. It’s already been 526 days that Gal and Zivi are still hostages in Gaza. I stand here today and swear – we won’t stop until they return home. The struggle is not over.”
“Like true Maccabi fans, we will continue to fight with all our strength and soul until everyone returns. This is the true meaning of loyalty, of unity.”
After her words, Damari walked towards Gate 11 and told all the fans: “I want to hear you loud, let them hear you even in the tunnels,” and began to sing with the crowd.
