November 28, 20231 yr Quote First on CNN: Father describes how his young daughter Emily Hand survived Hamas captivity Tel Aviv, Israel CNN — Emily Hand had to run from house to house, forced to move by Hamas as Israeli forces attacked Gaza, her father Thomas Hand told CNN. "That’s terrifying. Being pulled, dragged, pushed … under gunfire probably,” he said on Tuesday. It’s one of the details that his daughter is slowly sharing of what happened after she was kidnapped on October 7 and taken to Gaza, a place she now calls "the box.” "She’s coming out slowly, little by little,” Hand said. "We’ll only know what she really went through as she opens up,” he told CNN. "I want to know so much information … but you have to let them, when they are ready, come out with it.” Emily, who turned 9 in captivity, was held with her friend Hila Rotem-Shoshani and Hila’s mother Raaya before the children were released last Saturday. Raaya looked after Hila and Emily like they were both her daughters, Hand said. And the separation of Hila from her mother two nights before the girls were freed – in contravention of agreements made between Hamas and Israel – was "another step of cruelty,” he said. From death to captivity to hope Emily had been at a sleepover at Hila’s house when Hamas terrorists stormed Kibbutz Be’eri. Hand was trapped in his house for hours, unable to reach his daughter, as the community was ravaged – about 130 residents killed and others captured. About two days later, he was told by kibbutz leaders Emily’s body had been seen. He told CNN: "They just said, ‘We found Emily. She’s dead.’ And I went, ‘Yes!’ I went, ‘Yes!’ and smiled because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew … So death was a blessing, an absolute blessing.” But nearly a month later, the Israeli army told him it was "highly probable” Emily was alive and a hostage of Hamas. Hand said the military had been piecing together bits of information and intelligence. None of the remains at Kibbutz Be’eri were identified as those of Emily. There was no blood in the house where she slept. And cellphones belonging to Hila’s family had been tracked to Gaza. From feeling that death would be a blessing, he now had all the fear of the conditions Emily was being held in. "The unknown is awful. The waiting is awful,” he told CNN while she was a captive. But there was also some hope. Celebration with Beyoncé video and family dog Eight weeks after he had last seen his daughter, Hand was informed Emily was on the list of the second batch of hostages to be released under the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas. He tried to hold back his excitement as he reached the base where the freed hostages were being taken. There was a long delay and then word that she was with the Red Cross. "All of a sudden the door opened up and she just ran. It was beautiful, just like I had imagined it, running together,” Thomas said. "I probably squeezed her too hard,” he added, giving his view of the now iconic video of the reunion where he greets his daughter with her nickname "Emush.” "It was only when she stepped back that I could see her face was chiseled, like mine, whereas before it was chubby, girly, a young kid face.” Like the other hostages, Emily has lost body weight and Hand said he had never seen her so pale. And he was jolted when she spoke to him. "The most shocking, disturbing part of meeting her was she was just whispering, you couldn’t hear her. I had to put my ear on her lips,” he said. "She’d been conditioned not to make any noise.” A photograph of father and daughter released by the Israel Defense Forces shows a glimpse of the situation, Thomas said. "You could just see glassy-eyed terror,” he said. But he also saw a sign of the child he knew when he offered her his phone in the van leaving the handover. "The first thing she did was get a Beyoncé song on,” he said, adding that she was also smiling and was starting to laugh again. He had taken the family dog Johnsie to the reunion to offer and receive unconditional love in case Emily was angry at him for not coming to rescue her – a fear he has held since he learned she was alive. But Emily told her father she thought he had been taken hostage too. And when he asked her how long she thought she was gone, she replied "a year.” "Apart from the whispering, that was a punch in the guts. A year.” Deprivation, but now recovery The hostages had enough food to survive and plenty of water to drink, Hand said. "They always had a breakfast, sometimes lunch, sometimes something in the evening.” Emily was so hungry she learned to like eating plain bread with olive oil. She said "nobody hit us” and Hand imagines that just the strength of voices was enough to control her. The children could not make noise and were allowed to do little but draw and play with some cards. He is so grateful that Emily was held with Hila and Raaya for the most part, getting solace from knowing Emily had someone to care for her. "She looked after them like her own two kids.” Emily lost her mother to cancer when she was just 2 years old. And Hand has had to tell her that her "second mom” was killed on October 7. Narkis Hand was Hand’s former wife, and mother to Emily’s two half-siblings. "That was very hard. We told her and her little eyes glazed over and she took a sharp intake of breath,” he said. Along with her sorrow, her pale skin and hollowed out face, Emily has returned with a head full of lice, Hand said. But she is slowly coming back. She tries to stretch out the days with her family but when she finally goes to bed she really sleeps. And she hasn’t shut down. "Last night she cried until her face was red and blotchy, she couldn’t stop. She didn’t want any comfort, I guess she’s forgotten how, to be comforted” Hand said. "She went under the covers of the bed, the quilt, covered herself up and quietly cried.” She didn’t want to be touched so Hand just waited until she was ready. "She’s a very determined little girl, very strong, I knew that her spirit would get her through it.” Emily and Hila now look out for each other, Hand said. They celebrated Hila’s 13th birthday with a cake in hospital on Monday and a cake was brought for Emily too, for the 9th birthday she missed in Gaza. Thomas’s focus is now split. He must get Emily well. And he will do all he can to get Raya back home and all the other hostages too. And he hopes the support he felt while Emily was missing will stay strong. "We have to get Raaya back for Hila, back for Emily, back for justice,” he said. "Don’t go silent on us now,” he implored the world. "Bring them home, bring them home.”
November 28, 20231 yr 4 minutes ago, Alpha_TATEr said: more whataboutisms. there, ya happy TNT ? That was meant to be more of a juxtaposition.
November 28, 20231 yr 20 minutes ago, Tnt4philly said: Pointing out illegal settlement expansion is not a whataboutism They are a major sticking point in any peace deal going forward and is something that the Israeli Government does nothing about. Of course, the settlements are in the West Bank, which is run by the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas. But Hamas is the one that attacked on 10/7, and Israel is attacking Hamas in Gaza and not doing anything in the West Bank. But yeah, this is totally about settlements and not one side being committed to the utter annihilation of the Jewish state.
November 28, 20231 yr 14 hours ago, Dave Moss said: You can’t be an advocate for Palestinians and also work with the IDF. You have to choose one or the other to be taken seriously. Do you think Hamas is an advocate for regular Palestinians?
November 28, 20231 yr 6 minutes ago, vikas83 said: Of course, the settlements are in the West Bank, which is run by the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas. But Hamas is the one that attacked on 10/7, and Israel is attacking Hamas in Gaza and not doing anything in the West Bank. But yeah, this is totally about settlements and not one side being committed to the utter annihilation of the Jewish state. It’s "totally about” the extreme religious wackos on both sides who think they have claim to that land based on a book written by Bronze Age sheep herders. Both sides want to annihilate the other.
November 28, 20231 yr 15 minutes ago, Gannan said: Do you think Hamas is an advocate for regular Palestinians? hell, the rest of the arab world doesn't even advocate for regular Palestinians. they're used as puppets.
November 28, 20231 yr 3 minutes ago, Tnt4philly said: It’s "totally about” the extreme religious wackos on both sides who think they have claim to that land based on a book written by Bronze Age sheep herders. Both sides want to annihilate the other. Yes, that is clearly evident by Israel repeatedly offering the Palestinians a homeland, and the Palestinians repeatedly turning it down because they refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist. From 1948 to Arafat. Also clearly evident when Israel handed Gaza over and destroyed all its settlements in Gaza, only to see Hamas elected a year later. Just stop trying to say both sides are the same. Both sides have been in the wrong, but one side is much more to blame than the other.
November 28, 20231 yr Just a whataboutism or It’s ok, they were justified and just getting revenge. it doesn’t matter who is more wrong or right, as long as there are fanatics who think it’s their god given right to be there, there will never be peace. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67173344.amp
November 28, 20231 yr 2 minutes ago, Tnt4philly said: Just a whataboutism or It’s ok, they were justified and just getting revenge. it doesn’t matter who is more wrong or right, as long as there are fanatics who think it’s their god given right to be there, there will never be peace. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67173344.amp Of course there will never be peace. One side is fully committed to the annihilation of the other. Even if Israel gave up the entire West Bank, there wouldn't be peace because the Palestinians would still work to destroy Israel. They still want 4,000,000 displaced descendants of "refugees" to have the right to return. So long as there is a Jewish state, there will never be peace. We'll see peace between Wil E Coyote and the Roadrunner long before we ever see peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
November 28, 20231 yr while i don't absolve israel of any of its own warts, one side does not want peace. blame it on religious fanaticism and i won't debate it, but the reality is, the majority of the muslim world, won't be satisfied until israel doesn't exist.
November 28, 20231 yr 13 minutes ago, vikas83 said: ... Even if Israel gave up the entire West Bank, there wouldn't be peace because the Palestinians would still work to destroy Israel... then they're coming for Boca
November 28, 20231 yr 12 year old boy was released today and reported he was tortured, starved, and threatened with more beatings if he wouldn't stop crying. Please tell me more about how both sides are the same and torturing children is justified because of "settlements".
November 28, 20231 yr 6 minutes ago, Gannan said: 12 year old boy was released today and reported he was tortured, starved, and threatened with more beatings if he wouldn't stop crying. Please tell me more about how both sides are the same and torturing children is justified because of "settlements".
November 28, 20231 yr 3 hours ago, jsdarkstar said: So, Gaza Civilians are holding hostages. Terrorists. It appears that there are a few hostages being held by civilians yes. That is coming directly from the guy who is working to set up this truce/hostage exchange.
November 28, 20231 yr 42 minutes ago, Gannan said: 12 year old boy was released today and reported he was tortured, starved, and threatened with more beatings if he wouldn't stop crying. Please tell me more about how both sides are the same and torturing children is justified because of "settlements". Gazan civilians were also throwing rocks (apparently a very popular weapon over there) at the vehicles transporting hostages away.
November 28, 20231 yr 1 minute ago, Arthur Jackson said: Gazan civilians were also throwing rocks (apparently a very popular weapon over there) at the vehicles transporting hostages away. Man, it sounds like those innocent civilians are really going to miss their hostages
November 28, 20231 yr 5 minutes ago, paco said: Man, it sounds like those innocent civilians are really going to miss their hostages when it comes to human shields, nothing beats well-treated Israeli toddlers
November 28, 20231 yr It's great the little girl got released, but this is hardly surprising from the most politicized administration in history. Also not surprising that none of the major media outlets have zero interest in this connection. Quote The only American released so far by Hamas in their hostage exchange with Israel is related to a Biden administration appointee and prominent Democrat donor. Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old with dual Israeli-American citizenship, was among 17 hostages released Sunday by Hamas. She's related to Liz Hirsh Naftali, whom Biden appointed to the Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad last July. Naftali, Edan's great-aunt, previously served on Biden for President's National Finance Committee and as deputy finance chair for the Democratic National Committee. She also was in the news this summer when it was reported she bought one of Hunter Biden's paintings at a Los Angeles art gallery.
November 28, 20231 yr 10 hours ago, Dave Moss said: Sure. But continually taking someone’s land by military force isn’t how you make a peace deal. Surely you’re aware of that… 4 hours ago, Tnt4philly said: Pointing out illegal settlement expansion is not a whataboutism They are a major sticking point in any peace deal going forward and is something that the Israeli Government does nothing about. What settlements is Israel building in Gaza? Hamas is the governing body of Gaza not the West Bank. In the case of the settlement issue you're dealing with The West Bank. The so called governing body there is The PLO. The PLO is a completely different organization than Hamas. The PLO is also corrupt organization and has been for decades. Right now the Palestinians dont have many places to turn in regards to quality leadership and that is naturally hurting their ability to create any sort of National progress. But the fact remains. Israel is at war with Hamas not the PLO. Gaza and the West Bank are not politically connected. Hamas is not attacking Israel because of settlements in The West Bank. They are attacking Israel because they are an Iranian proxy militia whose sole mission is the destruction of Israel and a global war with the West. I do agree that Israel should not be Illegally removing people from their homes. But in at least some of these cases the families removed were actually renters of the properties who had not paid rent in months. In other cases people had sold land only to refuse to leave it and yes in some cases because hatred and discrimination exist Israelis have forcefully removed families from their homes. In all of these cases the people involved would have benefited greatly from a functioning government that was actively working to negotiate on their behalf. The Palestinians simply do not have this and that will remain their number one greatest issue. Israel makes a great scapegoat though and that really helps to keep the terrorist overlords of Hamas and the PLO in power.
November 28, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, The_Omega said: It's great the little girl got released, but this is hardly surprising from the most politicized administration in history. Also not surprising that none of the major media outlets have zero interest in this connection. Holy sheet. It’s hard to believe anyone’s this mentally ill. Zucker’s livid that a Democratic 4year old was released by terrorists.
November 28, 20231 yr 35 minutes ago, EagleFan85 said: What settlements is Israel building in Gaza? Hamas is the governing body of Gaza not the West Bank. In the case of the settlement issue you're dealing with The West Bank. The so called governing body there is The PLO. The PLO is a completely different organization than Hamas. The PLO is also corrupt organization and has been for decades. Right now the Palestinians dont have many places to turn in regards to quality leadership and that is naturally hurting their ability to create any sort of National progress. But the fact remains. Israel is at war with Hamas not the PLO. Gaza and the West Bank are not politically connected. Hamas is not attacking Israel because of settlements in The West Bank. They are attacking Israel because they are an Iranian proxy militia whose sole mission is the destruction of Israel and a global war with the West. I do agree that Israel should not be Illegally removing people from their homes. But in at least some of these cases the families removed were actually renters of the properties who had not paid rent in months. In other cases people had sold land only to refuse to leave it and yes in some cases because hatred and discrimination exist Israelis have forcefully removed families from their homes. In all of these cases the people involved would have benefited greatly from a functioning government that was actively working to negotiate on their behalf. The Palestinians simply do not have this and that will remain their number one greatest issue. Israel makes a great scapegoat though and that really helps to keep the terrorist overlords of Hamas and the PLO in power. Tl;dr Tbh, I stopped reading when you said Gaza and the West Bank aren’t politically connected
November 28, 20231 yr 19 minutes ago, Dave Moss said: Tl;dr Tbh, I stopped reading when you said Gaza and the West Bank aren’t politically connected Hamas and the PLO have little love for each other. The Palestinian people in those areas have a lot in common. They both live under oppressive, corrupt Arab regimes who care for their own pocketbooks more than their people.
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