The 8-year-old Irish-Israeli woman who was reportedly declared lifeless throughout the Hamas assault on October 7, is now believed to be alive and held hostage in Gaza. Solely a month in the past, Emily Hand’s father expressed his “aid” over her demise, saying that it was a “blessing” that she was killed as an alternative of being kidnapped. In an emotional interview, Thomas Hand opened up on her obvious demise, saying, “She was both lifeless or in Gaza, and if something about what they do to individuals in Gaza, that’s worse than demise… so demise was a blessing.”
Nonetheless, Emily’s household acquired the information that their daughter was nonetheless alive and amongst these kidnapped on October 31, as per the Occasions of Israel. Emily’s half-sister Natalie, 26, stated, “We had been advised that she had been murdered. We had been in mourning. On October 31, they advised us that it was extremely probably that she had been kidnapped.”
The Irish Embassy in Israel additionally confirmed that Emily was not murdered, as an alternative, she had been kidnapped. Natalie stated in a direct message to her sister Emily, “I need to inform you that we’re doing every thing to get you residence. We all know you’re being held hostage. We love you a lot and miss you.”
On Sunday, Natalie’s boyfriend Natty Virado confirmed that Israeli intelligence believes that there’s a “excessive probability” that Emily is being held in Gaza alongside together with her good friend and the good friend’s mom. Virado, 28, stated, “This story simply retains piling up. This nightmare is coming to life. Thomas is holding up, we’re all holding up. Everybody within the household is coping with their very own grief and doing their finest,” as per the Irish Occasions.