Eight-year-old Emily was killed by Hamas when terrorists raided her settlement on Saturday. Now her father talks about the terrible day.
The community of Be’eri, which has about 1,100 inhabitants, was woken up around 6:30 a.m. Saturday when the rocket alarm sounded. At first, residents were not particularly worried, as alarms are not uncommon in the city near the Gaza Strip. However, 45 minutes later, they received news that terrorists were in their settlement.
➤ “There is no more time” – Father fears for his son in Hamas violence
When Tom Hand heard the terrible news about terrorists breaking into his neighbors’ homes, all he could think about was his 8-year-old daughter, Emily, who was in a neighboring house at the time.
“When I heard the shots it was already too late”
The kibbutz was under attack for twelve hours that day. Meanwhile, Hand knew neither the whereabouts nor the fate of his daughter. Emily spent the night with a friend in a neighboring house that same night. “They had a girls’ night out,” Hand said.
➤ “Mom, I love you!” Oriya (26) writes a farewell text message
“I wasn’t worried until I heard the shots. And then it was too late. If I had known that, maybe I could have run and caught her. Her friend, her mother and can bring her to my house. “But by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late,” the father told CNN.
As Hamas went door to door, murdering at least 100 residents, he was unable to contact his daughter. “I thought the army would arrive soon and I would wait a little longer and longer and longer,” he reports. When the military took control of the settlement, it had already been completely destroyed. The father then had to stay awake for two days News about his daughter Emily awaits him.
“What they are doing to the people of Gaza is worse than death”
In the moving interview with CNN, the father recounts the moment he learned of his daughter’s death: “They said, ‘We found Emily. I answer yes’. I said ‘yes’ and smiled because this was the best news of the possibilities I knew,” he says through tears.
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“Her death was a blessing”
Of all the terrible possibilities, death seemed the least painful to him: “She was either dead or in Gaza. And if you know anything about what they are doing to the people of Gaza, it is worse than death,” he says, his voice shaking. “I knew she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t in Gaza, in a dark room full of people being pushed around. In fear every minute, every hour, every day and possibly for years to come. So the death was a absolute blessing.”
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Around 150 people held hostage
Currently, community residents have no idea what will happen next. “No one talks about funerals. We have nowhere to go. The community is now a closed military room”, reports a resident.
➤ Shani Louk’s mother (22) – “My daughter is still alive”
In addition to the estimated 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas over the weekend, the terrorists kidnapped around 150 people whose condition and whereabouts remain unknown. They were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip and are being held hostage there. Israel then announced the closure of the Gaza Strip.
Red browsing account Time 13/10/2023, 06:24 | Act: October 13, 2023, 6:39 am