The case of little Emily Hunt is shocking. The dad of the Irish-Israeli girl who was presumed dead after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 said the family can only hope they can get her back alive. It is now believed that 8-year-old Emily is being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
Her Dublin-born father, Tom Hunt, had initially learned that the child was among those killed in an attack on a kibbutz.
Speaking to BBC News in Israel, Mr. Hunt said his family is now hopeful after being told by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that he may be being held hostage.
“Now, the high possibility that she is in Gaza … now is hope, we can only hope that we can get her back alive,” he said.
Mr Hunt previously said Emily had gone to stay at a friend’s house in the kibbutz on the same day Hamas launched its attacks. Two days later Israeli authorities told him they believed she was dead.
But in recent days an official at the Irish embassy in Israel said tests showed Emily’s DNA was not among the victims at Kibbutz Be’eri.
After the attacks, the father said he was relieved his daughter was not taken hostage because he feared what might happen to her in Gaza. But he has now said he regrets those comments.
“I kind of regret it. Just because of some things I said, some things that might have put her in danger. We are moving on,” he said.
“She has her birthday this month. He’s not even going to know it’s his birthday, there will be no cake, no party, no friends to celebrate. He will still live there in terror every day. We want her back so we can love her again, hug her again and never let her out of my sight.”
Source: News Beast
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