Former Israeli Hostage Slams Pulitzer Board For Awarding Prize To 'modern-day Holocaust Denier'

Israeli hostage Emily Damari slammed nan Pulitzer Prize board’s determination to assistance their prestigious grant to a New Yorker writer who viciously attacked her and different female Israeli captive connected societal media, saying nan statement grounded connected a "question of humanity."

"You declare to grant publicity that upholds truth, democracy, and quality dignity. And yet you person chosen to elevate a sound that denies truth, erases victims, and desecrates nan representation of nan murdered," Damari posted connected X. 

Palestinian writer Mosab Abu Toha was granted nan Pulitzer Prize for his "essays connected nan beingness and affectional carnage successful Gaza," nan committee announced Monday. The grant came pinch a $15,000 prize. 

Toha has often disparaged Israeli hostages successful galore posts connected societal media, including Damari.

NEW PULITZER PRIZE WINNER DISPARAGED ISRAELIS KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS ON OCT 7, QUESTIONED THEIR 'HOSTAGE' STATUS

Emily Damari, right, and her mother Mandy are seen adjacent kibbutz Reim, confederate Israel aft Emily was released from captivity by Hamas terrorists successful Gaza, connected Sunday, Jan. 19. (AP/Israeli Army)

"How connected world is this woman called a hostage? (And this is nan lawsuit of astir 'hostages'). This is Emily Damari, a 28 UK-Israeli worker that Hamas elaborate connected 10/7… So this woman is called a ‘hostage?’ This worker who was adjacent to nan separator pinch a metropolis that she and her state person been occupying is called a ‘hostage?’" Toha posted about Damari connected January 24, 2025. 

Damari, 29, who lost 2 fingers successful her near hand erstwhile she was dragged retired of her location by Hamas terrorists during their Oct. 7 violent attacks connected Israel, elaborate her excruciating ordeal successful her consequence addressed to members of nan Pulitzer Prizes board.

"On nan greeting of October 7, I was astatine location successful my mini workplace flat successful Kibbutz Kfar Aza erstwhile Hamas terrorists burst in, changeable maine and dragged maine crossed nan separator into Gaza. I was 1 of 251 men, women, children, and aged group kidnapped that time from their beds, their homes, and a euphony festival," she wrote. 

"For almost 500 days I lived successful terror. I was starved, abused, and treated for illustration I was little than human. I watched friends suffer. I watched dream dim. And moreover now, aft returning home, I transportation that acheronian pinch maine - because my champion friends, Gali and Ziv Berman are still being held successful nan Hamas panic tunnels."

Damari, who was freed from captivity connected Jan. 19, wrote that nan Pulitzer board’s determination to assistance nan grant to Toha caused her "shock and pain." She accused nan Palestinian writer of "outright denials of documented atrocities" for his inflammatory posts which denied nan execution of nan Bibas family and that she and chap Israeli captive Agam Berger were existent hostages.

"The Israeli ‘hostage’ Agam Berger, who was released days agone participates successful her sister’s graduation from an Israeli Air Force officers’ course. These are nan ones nan world wants to stock sympathy for, killers who subordinate nan service and person family successful nan army! These are nan ones whom CNN, BBC and nan likes humanize successful articles and TV programs and news bulletins," Toha posted on Feb. 3, 2025.

PRESIDENT TRUMP GAVE ME BACK MY LIFE AFTER 471 DAYS OF HAMAS CAPTIVITY — PLEASE SAVE THE REMAINING HOSTAGES

Berger, 28, is an Israeli violinist and erstwhile Gaza separator scout astatine guidelines Nahal Oz who was held captive successful Gaza for 482 days. She revealed really she recovered ways to observe nan Jewish Sabbath and Passover moreover arsenic her captors tried to unit her to person her to Islam and really she and a chap scout, Liri Albag, were kept successful a "small room pinch nary earthy light." She was released from captivity connected Jan. 30. 

Damari and Berger declined to comment.

Toha has besides denied grounds that showed the 2 Bibas children, 9-month-old Kfir and Ariel, 4, were killed by their captors "bare hands." He besides dispersed nan disproven declare that Israel was down nan bombing of nan Al-Ahli Hospital successful Gaza successful Oct. 2023 and appeared to contradict that Israeli hostages had been tortured. Numerous Israeli hostages person testified that they were victims of aliases witnessed torture, including intersexual assault. 

"Mosab Abu Toha is not a courageous writer. He is nan modern-day balanced of a Holocaust denier. And by honoring him, you person joined him successful nan shadows of denial," Damari told nan Pulitzer board. 

"This is not a mobility of politics. This is simply a mobility of humanity. And today, you person grounded it," she concluded.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Palestinian writer Mosab Abu Toha.  (PBS)

A Pulitzer Prize typical did not straight reside Toha's grant erstwhile reached for comment.

 "The Pulitzer Prizes for reporting, commentary, literature, and nan arts are based connected a reappraisal of useful that person been formally submitted for consideration," a Pulitzer Prize typical told Fox News Digital.

The New Yorker and Toha did not respond to Fox News Digital's petition for remark successful clip for publication. 

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