Emily Hand, Israeli-Irish 9-year-old girl who was believed to be killed, released among the hostages freed from Gaza

According to a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Emily Hand, the 9-year-old girl of Israeli-Irish descent who was initially believed to have been killed by Hamas, is among the 17 hostages who have been freed from Gaza.

The release took place on Saturday, along with a second batch of 13 Israelis and four Thai Nationals. This comes after the initial release of hostages on Friday, which occurred during a temporary cease-fire. Alongside Emily, the second batch included seven children aged 3 to 16 and six women aged 18 to 67, as announced by the prime minister's office. 

Emily, who was only 8 years old when abducted by Hamas during their Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel, was initially presumed to have been killed by the militant group. However, she recently celebrated her ninth birthday on Nov. 17 while being held captive in Gaza.

Just two days before his daughter's birthday, Emily's father, Thomas Hand, expressed his sorrow saying, "The sad thing about it is, she won't even know what day it is. She won't know whether it's night or day. She won't even though it's her birthday."

Hand revealed that his daughter was visiting a friend's house at Kibbutz Be'eri when the horrific incident occurred. Israel reported a death toll of over 100 in that community alone, with more than 1,200 casualties attributed to the Hamas attack.

Initially, Israeli officials informed Hand, an Irish citizen who is not Jewish and relocated to Israel three decades ago as a kibbutz volunteer, that his daughter had been found dead. 

"The thought of a little eight-year-old child in the hands of those animals.. Can you imagine the sheer horror for an 8-year-old child?"

However, a few weeks later, Israeli authorities informed Hand that his daughter might still be alive, as they did not find her remains at Kibbutz Be'eri. This news filled Hand with hope and he urged governments worldwide to persist in their efforts to secure the release of the hostages.

After spending 50 days in captivity in Gaza, Emily has now been reunited with her family. In a statement on Saturday, her family expressed their indescribable emotions following the challenging and complicated 50 days. They shared, "Emily has returned to us! We are beyond joyful to have her back."

They also acknowledged the remaining hostages and expressed their gratitude for the unwavering support, as they continue to work towards the safe return of all hostages.