A 9-year-old Irish-Israeli girl whose father first believed she had been killed on Oct. 7, was among the 13 Israeli hostages released on Saturday by Hamas.
Emily Hand spent “her birthday in the tunnels of Gaza” her father told Fox News Digital last week. “No party. No friends. She won’t even know if it’s day or night. There’s no light down there. So she won’t know it’s her birthday.”
After waking up at a friend’s house in the kibbutz of Be’eri in southern Israel on Oct. 7, Hand, her friend, Hila, and her friend’s mother, were all kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. Hand was still wearing her Disney pajamas.
She is among some 240 Israeli civilians that were taken by Hamas amid their surprise attack that launched the war with Israel and held as hostages.
Hand’s release came a day after another group of 13 hostages were let go Friday, the first day of the temporary ceasefire.
Thomas said he was first told his daughter had been killed before he realized she had been kidnapped.
Before her release, her father last saw Emily the evening of Oct. 6 at dinner in the communal dining room of the kibbutz.
“We had an eyewitness seeing her being led away by the terrorists with her friend where she was doing a sleepover and the mother of that friend,” he said last week. “So it’s absolutely confirmed that she was taken away by the terrorists and is in the tunnels of Gaza now.”
Video was released Saturday of Emily’s emotional reunion with her father after more than 50 days of captivity.
Watch:
Emily Hand reunites with family pic.twitter.com/pxtpuNLfLG
— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) November 26, 2023
Israeli military officials stood by while the family members hugged each other.
Other hostages who were released on Saturday include Noam Or, 17, and Alma Or, 13, along with 53-year-old Shiri Weiss and 18-year-old Noga Weiss.
Sharon Hertzman Avigdori, 52, and 12-year-old Noam Avigdori were also released. Other captives included Shoshan Haran, 67, Adi Shoham, 38, and 8-year-old Nave Shoham, along with 3-year-old Yahel Shoham.
The remaining two Israeli captives were Hila Rotem Shoshani, 13, and 21-year-old Maya Regev Jarbi. Four Thai nationals were also released.
Finally some happy news instead of all of the turmoil going on. So happy for this as I am sure it was an emotional time for this father and his daughter.
I am so happy for the families and the hostages. We can not know that pain unless we live there. Unfortunately for the release of good people, Israel had to release criminals back to Hamas. That only strengthens their numbers and gives Hamas more subjects to plan and kill more people. What will be the cost to release more hostages? What is the cost for Americans to be released. USA is wrong to interfere with Israel and what they know they have to do. Biden has not a clue. Stay out of Israel. We are there to support Israel, not to dictate what they should do.