Emily Hand, 8, Irish-Israeli thought killed on Oct. 7, now believed held hostage in Gaza

Emily Hand, an 8-year-old girl from Kibbutz Be’eri, who was reported killed in the Hamas assault on October 7, is now believed to be alive and among those held hostage in Gaza. The family was informed of this by Israeli authorities five days ago, Channel 12 reports.

In the Channel 12 studio, Natalie, Emily’s sister, asks to try to speak directly to Emily, and looks directly into the camera: “I want to tell you that we are doing everything to get you home. We know you are being held hostage. We love you so much and miss you.”

Natalie says the family had cried for Emily when they were informed she had been murdered. “We were told that she had been murdered. We were in mourning,” she says. “On October 31, they told us that it was highly likely that she had been abducted.”

Natalie Hand (right), interviewed by Channel 12 about her sister, Emily, 8 (pictured left), who is believed held hostage in Gaza, November 5, 2023 (Channel 12 screenshot; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the copyright law)

Emily was at a friend’s house on the kibbutz on October 7, Natalie says, and her friend and her friend’s mother were also apparently abducted. Their family was also initially told they had been killed, Natalie says.

Natalie notes that Emily also has Irish citizenship. She says the Irish authorities have promised to do whatever they can to help.

Their father Thomas had told CNN in an emotional interview on October 12 that he welcomed the news Emily was dead, “because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew.”