Freed hostage Emily Hand was at the centre of a diplomatic bust up between Israel and Ireland just hours after being reunited with her father.
The row started after Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, on Emily’s release along with 12 other hostages on day two of the ceasefire.
She was pictured running excitedly into the hands of her delighted father Tom Hand, after the two were reunited at a hospital near Tel Aviv in the early hours of Sunday morning.
As the two met, Mr Varadkar wrote: ‘This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily hand and her family.
‘An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief. Our prayers have been answered.’
Freed hostage Emily Hand was at the centre of a diplomatic bust up between Israel and Ireland just hours after being reunited with her father (pictured together)
The row started after Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (pictured) posted a message on X, formerly Twitter , on Emily’s release along with 12 other hostages on day two of the ceasefire
Mr Varadkar wrote:’ This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily hand and her family. An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief. Our prayers have been answered.’
The message prompted furious response from Eli Cohen, Israel’s Foreign Minister, who said:’ Mr Prime Minister. Emily Hand is not lost, maybe you have lost your moral compass and connection to reality.
‘Emily Hand was kidnapped by a terrorist organisation worse than ISIS after her stepmother was murdered.
‘Emily and over 30 other Israeli children were kidnapped by Hamas, and you are trying to legitimatise it. Shame on you !’
As the row escalated Ireland’s ambassador to Israel Sonya McGuinness was summoned to the Foreign Ministry for an explanation.
Mr Cohen said:’Following the outrageous words of the Prime Minister of Ireland about the release of Emily Hand, who was kidnapped to Gaza by the terrorist organisation Hamas, I summoned the Irish ambassador to Israel for a reprimand.’
While the Ireland Israel Alliance labelled the post as ‘very embarrassing’ and urged Mr Varadkar tissue a follow up message.
Meanwhile Emily was said to be recovering well from her nightmare ordeal with her father Tom, and step siblings Natali and Aiden.
She was snatched from a kibbutz at Be’eri – visited by Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron last week – along with at least 40 other people on October 7.
The message prompted furious response from Eli Cohen (pictured), Israel’s Foreign Minister, who said:’ Mr Prime Minister. Emily Hand is not lost, maybe you have lost your moral compass and connection to reality.
Emily was one of 13 Israeli citizens to be freed yesterday from terror group Hamas and had her ninth birthday while in captivity
She was snatched in her pyjamas during Hamas’ invasion of Israel on October 7, in which some 240 captives were taken back into Gaza
Emily is led to safety by gun-toting Hamas militants after 50 days in captivity
Dozens were killed there by Hamas terrorists who invaded southern Israel and left more than 1,200 people dead in their wake,
Emily celebrated her ninth birthday while being held in Gaza and was at a sleepover with her friend Hila when she was snatched .
Hila and her mother Rava Rotem were also taken and although Hila was released Hamas reneged on letting her mother go and she is still being held.
In a statement the Hand family said:’ We remember Raya Rotem and all the hostages who have yet to return.
‘We will persist in doing everything in our power to bring them back home,’
As well as 13 Israeli hostages, four other foreign nationals were released and the aim is for 50 to be released before the end of the 96 hour ceasefire on Monday.
Two Britons are still being held according to Israeli officials and the hostages will be swapped for 300 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails.