Father of kidnapped schoolgirl Emily Hand, nine, says she is ‘smiling again’ after 50 days of ‘absolute hell’ as an Hamas hostage left her broken and terrified to speak
A brave little girl taken hostage by Hamas was happily returned to her father’s arms, but was left traumatized and virtually mute until now.
Nine-year-old Emily Hand was snatched in her pajamas during a sleepover at her friend’s house during the terror group’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year and held hostage for 50 days.
Footage of Emily running into her father’s arms before sharing an emotional hug warmed the hearts of everyone who watched it.
Her father said at the time that she was “broken but whole,” having previously said he believed she would be better off dead than kidnapped by Hamas.
It has been a long road to recovery because when Emily returned she was painfully thin, with dirty, matted hair, and she spoke only in whispers because her criminal captors told the schoolgirl they would stab her if she made too much noise.
But her father Thomas praised her as a ‘fighter’ and revealed she is now ‘noisy and boisterous as ever’ and ‘laughing again’. He promised never to complain about how loud she is.
Emily Hand celebrated her ninth birthday while in captivity after being taken from a sleepover
Nine-year-old Irish girl Emily Hand was reunited with her devoted father, who promised to celebrate her final birthday with the ‘biggest party ever’
Thomas Hand, father of Hamas hostage Emily Hand, said his nine-year-old daughter had ‘lost a lot of weight’ after finally being reunited with her family
He told it The sun Emily is ‘laughing again’ and is back at school with some of her old friends and starting to ‘enjoy life’.
He said: ‘Emily is still afraid of loud noises and couldn’t sleep on her own for a long time after she came back.
‘She still has nightmares but counseling has helped and she is much better now.
“She spent her last birthday in hell, so I’m making sure she has a party to remember this year when she turns 10 on October 17.”
Ahead of the anniversary of the attack, he said that “our thoughts are always with the hostages.”
On her return, Mr Hand said he had been too scared to hug her tightly, but promised to give her the ‘biggest birthday party ever’. She turned nine while being held hostage.
After her release, her family added in a statement: “Emily has returned to us. We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days.
Emily is brought to safety by armed Hamas militants after 50 days in captivity
Emily was snatched in her pajamas during Hamas’ invasion of Israel on October 7, during which some 240 prisoners were returned to Gaza. She celebrated her ninth birthday while in captivity
“We are overjoyed to hug Emily again, but at the same time we remember Raya Rotem and all the hostages who have yet to return.
We will persevere in doing everything in our power to bring them home.
‘We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who has helped and supported us over the past 50 days leading up to Emily’s return.
“We appreciate the continued support as we continue our efforts for everyone’s safe return.”
Emily’s arrest made headlines around the world after her emotional father initially said he hoped she had been killed in the October 7 invasion, rather than being in the hands of Hamas.
Speaking at a press conference at the time, Mr Hand said he believed she faced “sheer terror and panic” every hour of the day.
‘She probably says every day: ‘Where is my daddy? Where is my father, why doesn’t he come and save me?’
Emily is welcomed back by her family after being held hostage by Hamas for 50 days
Images also show the little girl being hugged and comforted by her half-sister Natali
He added: ‘I don’t know what condition she will be in, but she will be broken, very broken, mentally and physically, and we will have to fix that.’
The little girl’s father explained that her dog will be an important part of her recovery and even told the military that Johnsie was a requirement.
He said: ‘The dog is usually so loving and so calm… he is exactly the calming influence Emily will need in the coming weeks.’
“I absolutely insisted that the dog had to come with me and to my surprise the Israeli army agreed,” he added.
Mr. Hand was Emily’s only parent after her mother died of cancer when she was just two years old.
Dubliner Thomas traveled to Israel thirty years ago to volunteer on a kibbutz near the Gaza border.
He had to wait excruciatingly for news about his daughter after Hamas terrorists stormed the kibbutz where she was staying at her friend’s home on October 7.
Footage shows Mr Hand speaking of his hope that Emily – who spent her ninth birthday in Gaza’s terror tunnels – will recover physically and mentally from the torment of 50 days in captivity.
Emily is reunited with her father, while Hila Rotem (second from left), whose mother is still held hostage, reunites with a family member
When he was wrongly told that her body had been found, he welcomed the news saying it was better than her being held hostage during the barbaric attack on the Be’eri Kibbutz.
Her older sister, Natalie, told Israeli media: “We were told she had been murdered. We were in mourning.
“On October 31, they told us there was a good chance she had been kidnapped.”
When Natalie was asked if she had anything she wanted to say to Emily, if only she could listen, she said, “I want to tell you that we are doing everything we can to get you home. We know you’re being held hostage.
“We love and miss you so much.”
Emily was one of at least 30 children believed to still be held in Gaza.