Emily Hand, an eight-year-old girl from Kibbutz Be’eri in Israel, who was reported killed in the Hamas assault on October 7th, is now believed to be alive, among those held hostage in Gaza.
Emily’s family, including her Irish father Tom Hand who was born in Dún Laoghaire, was informed of the development by Israeli authorities last week, and her father has confirmed that they believe this is the case.
On October 31st, the family were informed that it was highly likely that Emily had actually been abducted. Natalie, Emily’s sister, said the Irish authorities have promised to do whatever they can to help.
Natalie has spoken on Israeli TV with a message for her, saying: “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.”
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The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it “is aware of the case of Emily Hand and is providing consular assistance to her family. We will not be commenting further at this time.”
Natty Virado (28) the boyfriend of Natalie, Tom Hand’s daughter, confirmed to The Irish Times on Sunday that the family were informed five days ago that Israeli intelligence, based on information obtained from Gaza, now believes that there is a “high chance” that Emily is alive and is being held in captivity in Gaza, along with her friend from Be’eri where she was staying at a sleepover, and the friend’s mother.
“This story just keeps piling up. This nightmare is coming to life. Thomas is holding up: We’re all holding up. Everyone in the family is dealing with the own grief and doing their best,” Mr Virado said.
He called on the Irish Government to do everything they can to help. The Irish embassy in Tel Aviv is aware of the latest developments and is providing consular assistance to the family.
In a Facebook post three days ago, Tom Hand said that Narkis, the mother of his two older children had been “definitely murdered” by Hamas. Emily’s reported death, he said, had been “an identity mistake”.
At 6.30am on Saturday, October 7th, when sirens sounded in response to a massive rocket barrage from Gaza, Tom Hand entered his bombproof, secure room. His daughter Emily was at a sleepover at a friend’s house on the kibbutz.
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“I could hear the gunfire getting closer. I rang my ex-wife on the kibbutz to make sure she was in a safe room and had locked the door and I told her to call the family where Emily was sleeping,” he said.
When he eventually emerged from his safe room, he was escorted by a senior member of the community to a room where a doctor was waiting, together with a psychiatrist and a social worker, and informed that Emily had been killed. “They just said ‘we found Emily, and she’s dead’.”
Hand said he felt relief, despite the tragic news. “I knew the alternative for my daughter. I knew she’d either be found dead or kidnapped and taken to Gaza. And the thought of a little eight-year-old child in the hands of those animals ... She’d be terrorised out of her life,” he said. “Can you imagine the sheer horror for an eight-year-old child?”
Hand’s emotional interview with CNN outlining the death of his daughter in the wake of the attack made headlines around the world.
Hand, who is not Jewish, was born in Dún Laoghaire. His family left Dublin for England when he was eight or nine, and in adulthood Hand signed up as a kibbutz volunteer and was assigned to kibbutz Be’eri.
Until the Hamas attack, he said “it was paradise. I couldn’t have asked for a better place or people”. He fell in love with a member of the kibbutz, Narkis, and they had two children, Aiden (29) and Natalie (26).
After they divorced, Hand married Emily’s mother, Liat, who died of breast cancer five years ago.
Hand was in the process of applying for an Irish passport for Emily when the events of Saturday turned everyone’s world upside down. He had never taken her to visit his homeland.
He said Emily had a great life on the kibbutz.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that there was “no evidence” that Ireland’s stance on the war in Gaza has led to Israel blocking Irish citizens from leaving the enclave.
The Government has called for a ceasefire, amid Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in response to the October 7th attacks. “We certainly could be watching war crimes unfolding,” Mr Martin told RTÉ's This Week programme on Sunday.
He said dense urban areas cannot be bombed without civilians and children being put at serious risk and that the Israeli actions have been “disproportionate by any measure”.
