Dad of hostage Emily Hand criticises the deal to free more hostages but said Israel is ‘desperate’ to get them home
The father of the ten-year-old girl released by Hamas 50 days after being kidnapped in the October 7th attacks described the current hostage deal as ‘terrible.’
Thomas Hand, from Dublin, was speaking to Mirror Online as the hostage release process started. His daughter Emily was among the first freed after being taken. But he expressed his deep reservations at the current ongoing ceasefire. He said: ‘Obviously it’s a terrible deal for Israel, the hostages and their families.
‘But we are so desperate to get every hostage back home, alive or dead, that we are willing to pay this extremely dangerous price. It’s not ‘opening the way’ for terrorists to use blackmail, it is a continuation of it.
‘It has opened the possibility that it will happen again and again — not just in Israel but anywhere in the world. Because the international community including the UN did nothing of significance to condemn this mass-murdering and mass-kidnapping group of terrorists. In fact, they almost condoned it with excuses that it was a justified response for 75 years of ‘colonialism’ ‘apartheid’ and ‘oppression’.
‘From my experience as a non-Jew living in Israel, nothing could be further from the truth. Hamas even mercilessly killed Arabs in their October 7 onslaught and took others captive.’ He went on to describe how Emily has reacted to the recent hostage release. He said: ‘As for my Emily, then eight, who they held captive for 50 awful days, she’s still worrying about the rest of the hostages — including our good friend from our kibbutz Eli Sharabi. We think his name is on the list to be released — alive or dead — in the next six weeks. His murdered British wife, Noiya, and their two murdered daughters, also used to play with Emily.
‘Emily is aware of the possible next hostage deals but she knows instinctively that anything could go wrong at any time. So she and I are excited about Emily Damari. But she’s worried and afraid at the same time. After all, my ex-wife and virtual stepmother was murdered on our kibbutz too – and others of her friends or their parents. A couple are included in the 94 that Hamas is still illegally holding whether alive or dead. We will have to release hundreds of tried and convicted terrorist criminals with blood on their hands in exchange for many innocent people, including children.
‘We don’t even know who is alive or dead. I don’t believe that there will be much of a backlash against the Hamas for their 7th October attack on Israeli civilians. I think most of the population of Gaza will view it as a victory ! I’m sure if there was a vote on Sunday the people would vote overwhelmingly for Hamas again.”