Family of Irish-Israeli Girl Who Spent 9th Birthday in Captivity Speaks Out as She's Released by Hamas

"We can't find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days," the family of 9-year-old Emily Hand said in a statement

A 9-year-old girl who was kidnapped by Hamas in October is one of the 13 Israeli hostages released by the Palestinian militant group on Saturday, her family confirmed.

Emily Hand, who was kidnapped on the morning of Oct. 7 during a sleepover near the Gaza border, will now be reunited with her loved ones.

“Emily has come back to us!” her family said in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Saturday, the second day of Israel and Hamas’ ceasefire.

“We can't find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days,” the statement said.

Related: What Is Hamas, the Palestinian Militant Group Behind Terrorist Attacks on Israel?

“We want to express our gratitude to everyone who helped and supported us during the last 50 days until Emily's return,” the Hand family wrote. "We appreciate the unwavering support as we continue our efforts for the safe return of all."

Along with Emily, Hamas is releasing 12 other hostages, including 13-year-old Hila Rotem, whom the 9-year-old was with when she was kidnapped, CNN reported. Hila’s mother, Raya Rotem, is still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

The Hand family acknowledged the remaining hostages in their statement, writing, “We are overjoyed to embrace Emily again, but at the same time, we remember Raya Rotem and all the hostages who have yet to return. We will persist in doing everything in our power to bring them back home.”

According to Israeli officials, the other hostages reportedly released on Saturday include Shoshan Haran, 67; Shiri Weiss, 53; Sharon Avigdori, 52; Adi Shoham, 38; Maya Regev, 21; Noga Weiss, 18; Noam Or, 17; Alma Or, 13; Noam Avigdori, 12; Naveh Shoham, 8; and Yahel Shoham, 3; CNN reported.

Noam and Alma Or’s father, Dror Or, is still being held in Gaza, per CNN. Their mother died on Oct. 7.

Prior to Emily’s 9th birthday on Nov. 17, her father, Thomas Hand, spoke with PEOPLE about his daughter and the day she was kidnapped.

As the Oct. 7 attack began, Thomas — who emigrated to Israel from Ireland — called Emily's “second mom" and his ex-wife, Nikus, because his “Hebrew isn’t as good” as hers. “[I] told her to get in her bomb shelter and call Raya [Rotem], the mother of Hila, who Emily spent the night with.”

Related: Israel and Hamas Agree to Four-Day Ceasefire as Hostages Are Freed, Humanitarian Aid Is Provided

After Nikus was shot while trying to run to her mother’s house, which was only 300 feet away, Thomas decided not to make the same run.

“I thought, 'Well, if I do that and I get shot dead now, Emily won't have a mother or a father.' Maybe she will survive. Maybe they won't touch her house,” he told PEOPLE. “I still feel guilty about that. I should have just gone for it. Maybe things would've turned out differently.”

Days after the attack, he was told Emily was found dead. Then, on Oct. 31, “the [Israeli] army gave me official information and said, 'We haven’t found any body or blood that can be identified as Emily,'" he recalled.

“It was the lack of evidence that led them to believe that she, along with her little friend and her friend's mother, were kidnapped and are in Gaza," he said.

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“When I was told, I just kept saying, 'No. No. No. No.' That was not the news I wanted to hear at first,” Thomas told PEOPLE. “But once it trickled down into my head, into my heart, of course, I want her back, I want her back alive, I want her back at any cost. I'm doing everything, we are doing everything we can to get her back. There are no limits to what we will do to get her back.”

“We will get her back,” he added.

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