After Hamas militants raided their kibbutz in Israel on Saturday, a heartbroken Irish father lost her eight-year-old Daughter. Thomas Hand endured a torturous two-day wait before learning that his daughter Emily had been murdered while attending a “girls’ night” overnight party at a neighbor’s home. With his daughter and wife, who passed away from cancer a few years ago, Thomas had lived in Israel for the previous 30 years. Thomas recalled that during the kibbutz invasion, armed terrorists held the community at gunpoint for 12 hours. The terrorists were responsible for at least 100 fatalities.

Thomas Hand thought his daughter’s death was ‘blessing’ as he felt relieved that she was not kidnapped by Hamas terrorists.

In a heartbreaking interview, Thomas revealed that he felt pleased when he learned that his daughter’s lifeless body had been discovered rather than being kidnapped and held hostage. “They replied, “We found Emily,” he recounted. She’s dead,’ and I immediately responded “Yes!” According to CNN, “I responded, ‘Yes,’ and grinned since that was the greatest news of the possibilities I knew. Thomas continued, “She doesn’t do it very often, but unfortunately that night, that particular night – Friday night – she went to sleep at her friend’s house.”

Calling her death an “absolute blessing,” Thomas further said, “They’d have no food. They’d have no water. She’d be in a dark room filled with Christ knows how many people. And terrified every minute, hour, day, and possible years to come.”