Father describes relief of daughter being killed by Hamas rather than being abducted

'Death was a blessing' says a father when he learnt his daughter was killed by Hamas, while ITV News' John Ray speaks to another father in Tel Aviv who does not know the fate of his missing daughter

A devastated father has described the relief he felt at learning his eight-year-old daughter had been murdered by Hamas, rather than being captured and taken hostage.

Thomas Hand, originally from Ireland, broke down as he recalled the moment Islamist militants massacred residents at the Be'eri Kibbutz, including his daughter Emily.

Early on Saturday morning, gunmen lay in wait outside the compound until a car arrived, before shooting the driver and entering through the gate.

As militants went door-to-door executing residents, Mr Hand was pinned down by gunfire, leaving him unable to reach his daughter, who had been at a friend's house for a sleepover.

Mr Hand waited two days before receiving news that Emily had been murdered, but surprisingly, his reaction was one of relief.

“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," he told CNN.

"That was the best, possibly that I was hoping for. She was either dead or in Gaza. And if you know anything about what they do to people in Gaza, that is worse than death.

“That is worse than death. The way they treat you. 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. So, death was a blessing, an absolute blessing."

More than 100 bodies have been recovered from the kibbutz - a type of farming commune unique to Israel - but authorities say many more residents are missing.

Mr Hand first came to Be’eri 30 years ago as a volunteer before deciding to stay in the community full-time.

He lived alone with his daughter ever since his wife - Emily's mother - died of cancer a few years ago.

Recalling how he had no way of reaching his daughter during Hamas' raid, he said: “I had to think of Emily. She already lost her mother, I couldn’t risk her losing her father too.”

ITV News' John Irvine speaks to a young Israeli man who owes his life to his friend who died fighting to save his loved ones from Hamas militants who opened fire at a music festival

Other residents have recalled waiting for 20 hours with no food or water as they waited for the military to arrive.

Be’eri is just a few minutes away from the military base, but the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spent days fighting to regain control of the kibbutz - a sign of the intensity of Hamas's onslaught.

Other families are still waiting for news of their loved ones, unknowing whether they are dead or being held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

Through tears, Tomar Shallom described the final message he received from his daughter who is still missing after attending the Supernova festival which came under attack by the militant group.

She sent her family a video from inside an ambulance where she took shelter from gunfire and militants alongside a text that read: "I love you very much, no matter what I love you very much, remember that."

"This is the last thing she told me. I never saw her since then," Mr Shallom said as his voice broke.

Mr Shallom has had no contact since that exchange but said it's his "gut feeling that she's still alive".

"A man shouldn't bury his kids, he shouldn't worry because his kids go to a peace festival and now they are war prisoners in an enemy country," he added.

More than 150 people are feared to have been abducted and taken into Gaza since the Hamas's incursion into Israel on Saturday.

Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, has demanded freedom for all 5,200 prisoners the Palestinians say are held in Israeli jails in exchange for the captives.

It has also said it will kill a hostage every time Israel's military bombs civilian targets in Gaza without warning.

With an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza looming, distraught families have been left fearing for their loved ones' lives.

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