Dad of missing Irish-Israeli girl has hope again

Emily Hand Family handout

Emily Hand's family believed she had been killed in the 7 October attacks on Israel

At a glance

  • The father of Irish-Israel girl Emily Hand says the family hopes to get her back alive

  • The eight-year-old was initially believed to have been killed by Hamas in the 7 October attacks on Israel

  • But Emily's family have now been told it is likely she has been taken hostage

  • Natali Hand has issued an appeal to the Irish government to help "get her back"

Clive Myrie in Israel and Rebekah Wilson
BBC News

Father 'hopeful' after learning daughter may not be dead

The father of an Irish-Israeli girl who was thought to be dead after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October said the family can only hope they can get her back alive.

Emily Hand, who is eight, is now believed to be a hostage of Hamas in Gaza.

Her Dublin-born father Tom Hand was initially told she was among a group of people killed in an attack on a kibbutz.

Speaking to BBC News in Israel, Mr Hand said his family now lived in hope after they were told by the Israeli Defense Forces that it was likely she was being held hostage.

"Now - the strong possibility that she's in Gaza - now it's hope, we can only hope that we can get her back alive," he said.

Mr Hand previously said Emily had gone to stay at her friend's house in the kibbutz on the same day Hamas launched its attacks.

Two days later the Israeli authorities told him they believed she was dead.

But in recent days an official from the Irish embassy in Israel said tests indicated that Emily's DNA was not found among victims in Kibbutz Be'eri.

In the aftermath of the attacks, Mr Hand said he was relieved that his daughter was not taken hostage because he feared for what could happen to her in Gaza.

But he has now said he regrets making those comments.

"In some ways I regret that - just because of some of the things I said - some things that might have put her in danger - we move on," he said.

"It's her birthday this month - she's not even going to know it's her birthday - there'll be no cake, no party, no friends celebrating.

"She'll still be living their in terror everyday - we want her back to love her again, hug her again - and never let her out of my sight."

Family handout

Emily Hand's birthday is coming up

Emily was in Kibbutz Be'eri, about three miles from Gaza, when Hamas launched its attack.

More than 100 people were killed in the kibbutz.

They were among more than 1,400 Israelis killed by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist group by the UK and the United States, in attacks across southern Israel.

Dozens of other people from the kibbutz are still missing and it is believed some of them may have been taken to Gaza as hostages.

Emily's half sister, Natali Hand, has issued an appeal to the Irish government to help "get her back".

At the last count, the Israeli Defense Forces said 242 people were being held hostage.

Since the attacks, Israel has been bombing Gaza and its military has recently lanched ground operations.

The Hamas-run health ministry said more than 10,000 people have been killed in the territory since the war began a month ago.

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