The Irish father of a girl who is feared to have been kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip has said the family are praying “that she comes back”.
In an appeal to those who may have her, Dubliner Thomas Hand called for “some humane feelings of any kind” for captors to release the children.
Emily Hand was originally feared to be dead after the Hamas assault on Kibbutz Be’eri in Israel on October 7.
However, the eight-year-old’s family have been informed she might still be alive and being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Now I have hope that she's alive, so we pray that she comes back - however broken, we can fix her— Thomas Hand
In an interview with Virgin Media News programme The Group Chat, Mr Hand appealed to those who may have his daughter: “I beg you on bended knees to please release the children, including Emily.
“At least the children… For gods’ sakes have some humanity, some pity, some humane feelings of any kind, please.”
After initially telling CNN there was some relief in reports that Emily was dead – because he feared a fate worse than death for her – Mr Hand said it was hard to take in the new information.
He added: “At first when they told me that she was probably dead, it was sort of a relief, in a way.
“But now I have to alter my head with this new information, and now I have hope, now I have hope that she’s alive, so we pray that she comes back – however broken, we can fix her.”
He said Emily’s ninth birthday is on November 17.
“We just want her back,” he added.
“It was great to know that there’s a possibility that she’s alive and well, and that one day we will get her back and I can hug her.”
He said he hopes the Irish Government is applying pressure where it can to return the hostages.
Emily’s half-sister Natalie said the family has got hope back.
She told RTE Radio One: “We’ve been informed by the military and other authorities that the first line was that she’s kidnapped and alive, and they have a few intelligence, that they get all the sources combined and then they cross all the information together. We don’t know exactly the details, but we do know she’s kidnapped.
“We just want to get her back and she’s an Irish citizen, and we’re asking all the help we can from you guys (in Ireland).
We have no tears left. We’re just broken. And now we got hope back and we are strong now, and we’ll do anything— Natalie Hand
“If there’s a high possibility (of her being alive), even a small one, I will do everything I can to get her back.”
Ms Hand, whose mother was killed in the Hamas attacks, said the family had been on a “hell of a rollercoaster” since October 7.
“Grieving about my mum and her, and just, you know, we’re like zombies,” she said.
“We have no tears left. We’re just broken. And now we got hope back and we are strong now, and we’ll do anything.”
Ms Hand said she had never been to her father’s homeland.
“I’ve never been there but I’m going to, I have to, hopefully with my sister, my father and my brother,” she said.
“I have too many videos of her laughing and speaking. I want to hear that again. I just want to say, ‘Emily, we’re on the way’, and we will have her back, I know that.”
Ireland’s justice minister said Irish authorities are making every effort to assist in securing the release of Emily.
Helen McEntee said the Hand family were going through an “absolutely unimaginable” experience.
Speaking to reporters in Dublin on Monday morning, she said: “I think it has been confirmed that it is now believed that Emily is alive, and obviously every effort, everything that can be done will be done, to ensure that she is released and that she is safe.
“But this has been a hugely traumatic experience for her family. First, believing that she had passed away, and now potentially that not being the case.
“So I think we need to be very sensitive to the fact that this is a changing and dynamic environment for all involved.
“Every effort, every single thing that can be done, will be done. We also know that there are many other Irish citizens on the ground in Gaza who are trying to leave and we obviously want them to be able to get out and to get home and to be safe.”
Around 35-40 Irish passport-holders remain in the Gaza Strip amid intense diplomatic efforts to secure their passage out of the enclave via the Rafah crossing to Egypt.
No Irish citizens have been included on approved lists of international passport-holders who have left through the crossing.
Irish premier Leo Varadkar told reporters in Co Cork: “There are in and around 40 Irish citizens in Gaza and we’re doing our best to get them out.
“We’re doing that through contact with the Israeli authorities, but also with governments in the area who may have influence, the government of Egypt, the government of Jordan.
“The Tanaiste (deputy premier Micheal Martin) has been in touch with Iranian authorities too.
“So, very much top of our mind at the moment, these Irish citizens held in Gaza for one reason or another, and very much a priority for us to do anything we can to facilitate their release.”
Mr Varadkar stood by comments he made last week when he said some of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip were not just self-defence and resembled “something more approaching revenge”.
He said he did not believe the comments had hampered diplomatic relations with Israel and efforts to secure the exit of Irish citizens from Gaza.
Israel has a right to defend itself, but it has to do so in a way that’s proportionate and in line with humanitarian law— Leo Varadkar
Asked if he regretted using the word revenge, he replied: “I don’t, no.”
He later said: “When the Tanaiste and I take the positions that we do, we do so because we think it’s the right thing.
“Ultimately, this is about civilians, Israeli civilians who died and were injured, and also Palestinians who are now experiencing a very difficult situation.
“We’ve always taken a view since day one that we condemn Hamas’s attack unequivocally, no excuse for it whatsoever.
“Israel has a right to defend itself, but it has to do so in a way that’s proportionate and in line with humanitarian law.”
