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FAMILY'S NIGHTMARE
Israeli girl snatched by Hamas should be celebrating 9th birthday today – instead she will endure another day as hostage
Fighting back tears, Emily's dad Tom said: 'We will only celebrate when she gets home'
HOSTAGE Emily Hand should have been at home celebrating her ninth birthday today — instead she is trapped in a terror tunnel by Hamas captors.
Emily was snatched from a sleepover at a pal’s — one of 240 taken in October 7 raids.
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Her family initially believed she was among the 1,200 killed but later found out she is in the 311-mile labyrinth of the “Metro Gaza”.
Fighting back tears, dad Tom, 63, said: “We will only celebrate when she gets home.
“Then we will throw a massive party with presents and balloons and a cake with all her friends invited.”
And in a message to her captors he said: “They are not soldiers. They are just children. Please let them go.”
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Ex-telecoms engineer Tom travelled to Israel 30 years ago to volunteer on a kibbutz near the Gaza border.
He married local woman Narkis and had two children Aiden, 29, and Natali, 26, before the couple split.
Tom then had Emily with another partner who died of cancer when she was two.
He said: “Before this, Emily was always smiling. Her real passion was music. She loved Beyonce and would copy her dance moves.
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“It was paradise on the kibbutz. You could let kids out of the door on a morning and not see them again until night and you didn’t have a single worry about them.”
Tom, Natali and hundreds of evacuees are now at a hotel at a Dead Sea resort.
They have no idea when they will be able to return to their communities, if ever.
Tom’s kibbutz was one of the worst affected with around ten per cent of the 1,200-population murdered — including his ex-wife, Natali’s mum.
Natali said: “It’s been a hell of a rollercoaster, grieving about my mum and Emily.
“We’re like zombies. We have no tears left. We’re just broken. We have hope back now with Emily.”
The Sun’s front page Bring them Home appeal is now Tom’s social media profile picture as he campaigns for Emily’s release.
At lunchtime today a party for Emily will be held outside Save The Children International in London.
An empty table will be placed as a reminder of her ordeal below ground.
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