Emily Hand to spend ninth birthday ‘in Hamas tunnels’, father says amid hopes for her safety

Tom Hand, the Irish-born father of Emily Hand, remains hopeful his daughter is alive after it emerged late last month that the eight-year-old – initially believed dead after the Hamas-led October 7th attacks on Israel – is likely being held hostage in Gaza.

Mr Hand, along with Emily’s half-sister Natali, travelled to Dublin to advocate for the safe return of his daughter.

“We have to hope and we have to pray that we can get her back,” Mr Hand said at a press conference facilitated by the Israeli embassy and Israeli NGO Israel-is in the Herbert Park Hotel on Monday.

“[I’m here] just to try and drum up as much support and sympathy from the Irish Government,” Mr Hand said.

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He became visibly emotional when he spoke about his daughter Emily, who will turn nine on Friday.

“Her birthday will be in the tunnels of the Hamas [sic],” Mr Hand said.

“[There will] be no cake, no party, no friends. Sadder than that, she won’t even know it’s her birthday, she won’t have any idea what day it is, whether it’s day or night.”

Mr Hand also said that he was not afraid for Emily’s safety in the face of Israeli bombardment of the enclave.

“I’m sure that Emily was taken by the Hamas, not the Palestinian people, by the Hamas. And they’ll be safe down in the tunnels, with the Hamas. They’ll be safe down there,” Mr Hand said.

“I feel sorry for the Palestinian people, they’re suffering for what the Hamas is doing to them.

“They say that we’re the occupiers – we’re not the occupiers, Hamas are the occupiers.”

Mr Hand said the Israeli government would do “whatever they think is necessary” in their operations in Gaza.

He apologised for sometimes speaking about Emily in the past tense.

“Sometimes, I think, I speak about her in the past tense. I have to remember that she’s alive and in Gaza,” he said.

“I have a vision in my head – I don’t know what circumstance – but somehow, someone releases her, and we run to each other, like in the films.”

Mr Hand last received information about his daughter on October 31st, when – contrary to earlier reports – Israeli authorities said that Emily was likely in Gaza, having been kidnapped by Hamas militants following the assault on Be’eri Kibbutz. Before the attacks, Mr Hand and his daughter lived on the kibbutz close to the border with Gaza.

Mr Hand has been in regular contact with the Irish authorities, he said, and is meeting the Taoiseach and Tánaiste this week in Dublin.

Natali Hand, a half sister of Emily, said she last spoke with Emily on a video call. “She told me she [didn’t] want to die. Her friend’s house is getting burned, and she was asking me why I didn’t take her to Australia.”

“We don’t sleep, we don’t eat, our bellies hurt from crying. We have no tears left,” Natali said.

The Hands described Emily as a “fun-loving girl” with a huge interest in music.

Other family members of Israelis kidnapped in the October 7th attacks were present at the press conference on Monday.

Tal Yeshurun, along with his wife Maya Lambroso, said they came to Ireland because “international pressure”, they believe, is the most efficient method for securing the release of hostages. Multiple members of Ms Lambroso’s extended family were either killed or kidnapped in the October 7th attacks on Be’eri Kibbutz.

“We don’t think countries, international communities, like the UN (United Nations), the Red Cross, we don’t feel like they’re doing enough,” Mr Yeshurun said.

Mr Yeshurun also said that he did not believe that Hamas’s actions have been adequately condemned, both by the public and the Government.

“Specifically in Ireland, we don’t feel like there’s [a] strong enough position against terror. And we feel like the terror that happened by Hamas on October 7th needs to be condemned much more clearly,” Mr Yeshurun said.

[ Ireland in contact with ‘key interlocutors’ to seek Emily Hand’s release ]

“People feel like it’s legitimate to continue the hate and violence against Jews, against Israel.

“There is currently an eight-year-old Irish citizen there [in Gaza] ... I think every Irish citizen and resident should see themselves as being that girl, or think of their loved ones.”

Ms Lambroso said: “This is a humanitarian crisis. It’s not a political one. We want our children, our family back home safe. It’s the least we can ask for.”