Last night, a father spoke of his relief when Hamas released his nine-year-old daughter after “a long and painful nightmare”, reports The Mirror.
Thomas Hand spoke as he scheduled a tearful meeting with Emily, who he once thought had died in the October 7 Israeli attack.
In his message, the Dubliner wrote: “We have been waiting for far too long for this moment. Every day has been a long and painful living nightmare.…my Emily is coming home at last, broken but in one piece,” reports The Mirror.
The schoolgirl was abducted in her pyjamas on October 7 and turned nine years old in captivity.
Earlier, Thomas told about his exhausting wait to hug Emily again and tell her, “I love you, I love you, I love you,” reports The Mirror.
He said Emily would be greeted by her favourite dogs and stuffed toys and would enjoy “the best birthday party she never had”, reports The Mirror.
Thomas, 63, said he would give her a big hug, though he was afraid to squeeze her too hard because he didn’t know if she had any injuries, such as broken ribs.
“I have no idea what they’ve done to her since they grabbed my poor innocent little girl,” he said, reports The Mirror.
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