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by Shiryn Ghermezian
Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand meets her father Thomas Hand after being released as part of a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel in this handout image released Nov. 26, 2023. Photo: Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS
After the father of Emily Hand — an Irish-Israeli 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 and recently returned home to her family — said he was “determined” to take his daughter to a Beyonce concert to lift her spirits, the Grammy-winning singer reportedly invited the young fan to attend any one of her concerts around the world.
Before the offer was made by the singer and businesswoman, Thomas Hand, Emily’s father, told Israel’s Channel 12: “One thing I’m determined to do when she recovered enough, I’m gonna find out where and if Beyonce is touring, and I don’t care where it is in the world, she’s going. She adores her.”
Emily Hand was one of the 240 people who Hamas terrorists kidnapped from Israel and forcefully hauled back to Gaza during their Oct. 7 onslaught across southern Israeli communities. She turned 9 while in captivity and was held hostage with her friend Hila Rotem-Shoshani and Hila’s mother, Raaya. The children were released just over a week ago as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Raaya was released days later.
The younger Hand had been at a sleepover at Rotem-Shoshani’s house when Hamas terrorists stormed Kibbutz Be’eri, where she lived with her family. Her mother died from cancer when she was just 2 years old.
Thomas Hand told CNN that after reuniting with Emily following her release from captivity, he offered her his phone in the van leaving the handover and “the first thing she did was get a Beyoncé song on,” adding that she also smiled and started to laugh again.
When asked by Israel’s Channel 12 if he will return to Kibbutz Be’eri with his daughter following the barbaric Hamas attacks that took place during the early hours of Oct. 7, Hand did not give a clear answer. “I found paradise on earth for 30, 31 years, and overnight it was turned into hell,” he said. “But still, they will never defeat us. We will rise from the ashes of that morning.”
