Emily Damari, who was kidnapped by Hamas and held captive for 500 days, issued a strong public statement yesterday (Wednesday) against Mosab Abu Toha, the Palestinian poet recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize. According to Damari, the prize represents a “blatant denial of documented crimes.”
Pulitzer Win by Palestinian Poet Sparks Controversy
Mosab Abu Toha, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary three days ago, has come under fire after past statements surfaced in which he justified the October 7 massacre and made antisemitic remarks. His award, granted for a series of essays about life in Gaza, has been heavily criticized in Israel.
Dear Members of the @PulitzerPrizes board,
My name is Emily Damari. I was held hostage in Gaza for over 500 days.
On the morning of October 7, I was at home in my small studio apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when Hamas terrorists burst in, shot me and dragged me across the border…
— Emily Damari (@EmilyDamari1) May 8, 2025
Damari, released from Hamas captivity after nearly 500 days, wrote a public letter to the Pulitzer Prize Board: “Dear members of the Pulitzer Prize Committee,
My name is Emily Tehila Damari. I was held captive in the Gaza Strip for nearly 500 days. During this time, I experienced hunger, abuse, and humiliation. I still carry that darkness with me today.”
A Prize to a Man Who Denies the Truth
Damari expressed outrage at the decision to honor Abu Toha, whom she says denied the massacre and kidnappings: “Imagine the pain and shock I felt upon learning that you awarded the Pulitzer Prize to Mosab Abu Toha. This is a man who denied my captivity and diminished the severity of the horrors that occurred. This isn’t about wordplay – it’s a blatant denial of documented crimes.”
