Every effort being made to secure release of Irish Israeli girl, says minister

Irish authorities are making every effort possible to assist in securing the release of an Irish Israeli girl believed to have been abducted by Hamas, the country’s justice minister has said.

Emily Hand was originally feared dead after the assault on Kibbutz Be’eri in Israel on October 7.

However, it has now emerged that the eight-year-old’s family have been informed she may still be alive and being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Emily’s father, Thomas, is originally from Dublin.

Ireland’s Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said the Hand family were going through an “absolutely unimaginable” experience.

The minister provided an update on the case as she spoke to reporters in Dublin on Monday morning.

She described the situation as a “changing and dynamic environment”.