- Irish-Israeli Emily Hand, 8, was believed to have been killed at Kibbutz Be’eri
- Her father, Thomas Hand, said he welcomed the news of her apparent death
- But Israeli officials have told her family that she is likely a hostage of Hamas
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An eight-year-old girl who was believed to have been slaughtered at Kibbutz Be’eri by Hamas terrorists is now thought to be alive and among those held hostage in Gaza.
Emily Hand, a young Irish-Israeli girl, was reported to have been one of the at least 130 people killed in the deadly massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri, where she spent the night of October 6 to October 7 at a sleepover at her friend’s house.
Her family have spent the last month mourning, but today Israeli authorities told them that she is a hostage of Hamas, and is likely somewhere in Gaza.
Her older sister, Natalie Hand, told Israeli broadcaster Channel 12: ‘We were told that she had been murdered. We were in mourning.
‘On October 31, they told us that it was highly likely that she had been abducted.’
When Natalie was asked whether she had anything she wanted to say to Emily, on the off-chance she was listening, she said: ‘I want to tell you that we are doing everything to get you home. We know you are being held hostage. We love you so much and miss you.’
Emily Hand, a young Irish-Israeli girl, was reported to have been one of the at least 130 people killed in the deadly massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri
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Her father, Irish-born Thomas Hand, said that he was glad to hear that she was dead as he was terrified of how she would have been treated by Hamas terrorists
Natalie added that Israeli officials told her Emily’s friend and her mother, whose house she was staying at, were also likely to be Hamas hostages as well.
It comes after her father, Irish-born Thomas Hand, said that he was glad to hear that she was dead as he was terrified of how she would have been treated by Hamas terrorists.
Mr Hand, who is not Jewish and was born in the coastal town of Dún Laoghaire in the Republic of Ireland, said in an interview with CNN just days after Hamas’ secretive attack against Israel: ‘[Israeli authorities] said, “We found Emily. She’s dead,” and I just went “Yes!” I went “yes”, and I smiled, because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew.’
‘She was either dead, or in Gaza. And if you know anything about what they do to people in Gaza, that is worse than death,’ he said.
‘They’d have no food. They’d have no water. She’d be in a dark room filled with Christ knows how many people. And terrified every minute, hour, day, and possible years to come. So death was a blessing. An absolute blessing.’
Mr. Hand told the Irish Times: ‘She was a little angel and she actually looked like an angel. She was very, very sociable and she loved music.
‘She would sing in the house all day long and she loved dancing. She would watch videos of Beyoncé; she was her favourite and would pick up the moves really quickly.
‘She was always chosen for the dance routines on the stage for the Kibbutz for the holidays – always front and centre, so if the other kids forgot the steps they could just look at Emily. She was exceptional.’
