After enduring a 50-day captivity at the hands of the Hamas terrorists, nine-year-old Emily Hand, is now speaking only in whispers, her father told The Sun in an interview.
"She was a normal happy noisy kid but now she whispers -- she was moving her lips with no volume or even air coming out," Thomas Hand was quoted by as saying.
READ | Hamas releases 17 hostages on Day 2 of Gaza truce, Irish-Israeli girl, 9, among them: Latest updates
According to her father, Emily has been used to talk like that for the past 50 days due to orders issued by the Hamas during captivity. Thomas Hand said he will do whatever it takes to help his daughter recover from the trauma.
"She’s been terrorised by terrorists in hell but as her dad it’s my job to make it better and I will,” he told The Sun.
Emily's father had feared the worst, presuming she had been killed. Hand expressed his immense joy and gratitude upon her safe return, mentioning that she had not suffered any abuse during her captivity but had experienced weight loss.
{{/usCountry}}Emily's father had feared the worst, presuming she had been killed. Hand expressed his immense joy and gratitude upon her safe return, mentioning that she had not suffered any abuse during her captivity but had experienced weight loss.
{{/usCountry}}“Her chubby cheeks may have gone but she’s smiling again now she’s safe," Hand said.
READ | ‘I dreamt we came home’: Israeli girl released from Gaza under truce deal
Emily, an Irish-Israeli citizen, was spending the night at a friend's house on the Beeri kibbutz when, on October 7, Hamasraided the compound and abducted her.
Emily was then liberated as part of a release agreement involving Israeli hostages traded for Palestinian prisoners. This exchange took place within the context of an ongoing truce in the conflict.
Israel claims that around 240 individuals were abducted in the October 7 Hamas attack, resulting in the death of 1,200 people, with a majority being civilians.
The Gaza health ministry, under Hamas control, reports that a subsequent Israeli air and ground campaign in the region has led to the deaths of nearly 15,000 individuals, predominantly ordinary Palestinians.