A moving video shows the moment when nine-year-old Irish girl Emily Hand was reunited with her father after being held hostage by Hamas terrorists for 50 days. Emily was abducted during the Hamas attack on October 7. She was among 20 other hostages who were released by Hamas on Saturday night, November 25.
A video now viral on social media shows Emily running into the hands of her father, Thomas Hand. Hila Rotem, another child who was released, is seen hugging her uncle in the same video.
Emily was abducted while she was visiting Hila’s house in Kibbutz Be’eri. Emily was initially believed to have been killed. Ahead of Emily’s release, Thomas told The Mirror, “We have been waiting for far too long for this moment. Every day has been a long and painful living nightmare.… my Emily is coming home at last, broken but in one piece.”
“Emily has come back to us! We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days,” her family said in a statement to CBS News after her release.
“We are overjoyed to embrace Emily again, but at the same time, we remember Raya Rotem and all the hostages who have yet to return,” the statement added. “We will persist in doing everything in our power to bring them back home.”
“We want to express our gratitude to everyone who helped and supported us during the last 50 days until Emily’s return. We appreciate the unwavering support as we continue our efforts for the safe return of all,” the statement said.
Raya Rotem, who was mentioned by Emily’s family, is the mother of Hila. The mother-daughter duo wascaptured by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from the safe room of their home. Raya, 54, wrote to her brother at 12:05 pm that she and her 13-year-old daughter were being kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
It was only on October 29 that the two were confirmed as Hamas hostages. However, while Hila was released on November 25 after a temporary cease-fire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel, Raya is still being held hostage, to the horror of family members.
