Emily Hand's family have expressed gratitude to those who have supported them since the nine-year-old Irish-Israeli girl was kidnapped by Hamas.
In a statement issued to RTÉ News they said: "Emily has come back to us! We can't find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days. We are overjoyed to embrace Emily again."
"We want to express our gratitude to everyone who helped and supported us during the last 50 days until Emily's return. We appreciate the unwavering support as we continue our efforts for the safe return of all," they said.
The family refer to the mother of Emily's friend Hila, who was not freed from Gaza, "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."
Emily was on a sleepover with Raya Rotem and her daughter Hila when Hamas launched it's attacked on 7 October.
Hila was released with Emily, but her mother remains in Gaza.
The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has said a nation's prayers were answered as it was announced that Emily Hand had been released from captivity in Gaza.
"An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and our country breathes a massive sigh of relief. Our prayers have been answered," he said.
"When I met Tom and Natali in Dublin, their pain was etched on their faces, but so was their courage and determination to ensure that Emily would be freed. I shared their grief and was inspired by their example. Irish people everywhere share in the relief of Emily's family," Mr Varadkar said in a statement.
"Emily now returns to her family, but we cannot forget that many more hostages remain in captivity in Gaza. Their fate is unknown, but we hope that like Emily, they will also be allowed to return to their homes and their families.
"We think of all the families suffering in this troubled region, and we redouble our efforts to work for a permanent ceasefire, and for a just a lasting peace," the Taoiseach said.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, welcomed the release of Emily.
In a statement, Mr Martin said that this is a "precious and deeply moving moment for the Hand family."
"I want to acknowledge the role played by the US, Qatar, Egypt and others that have been involved in securing the release of the hostages.
I am conscious today that many more hostages remain in the hands of Hamas. I reiterate my call that all hostages in Gaza should be released immediately and unconditionally," Mr Martin said.
Meanwhile, the Sinn Féin President, Mary Lou McDonald, also Emily Hand being freed from captivity in Gaza and said Ireland must remain a voice for peaceful dialogue on the international stage.
"The trauma and heartbreak that little Emily and her family have been subjected to over the last number of weeks is unimaginable," she said.
"I commend the mediators' efforts, including the government of Qatar and all other neighbouring states, for the constructive role that they have played in securing the release of Emily and the other hostages, as well as Palestinian women and children who were imprisoned under administrative detention, who are finally reuniting with their loved ones today," Ms McDonald added.
Hamas release 17 hostages in second day of truce
It comes as Hamas handed over 13 Israeli hostages and four foreigners to the International Committee of the Red Cross tonight, Qatar's foreign ministry said, after a brief disruption earlier to the deal to free captives was overcome with the mediation of Qatar and Egypt.
The Gaza hostage deal was back on track after a temporary delay over a dispute about aid supplies to the north of the besieged enclave.
"13 Israelis and 4 foreigners were received by ICRC and on their way to Rafah," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman, Majed Al Ansari, said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
TV images showed Red Cross vehicles at Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
A Palestinian official familiar with the diplomacy said Hamas would continue with the four-day truce agreed with Israel, the first break in fighting in seven weeks of war.
Al Ansari earlier said a brief delay and obstacle to the hostage release were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian contacts with both sides, adding that 39 Palestinian civilians were going to be released in exchange.
Among the Israeli hostages, eight were expected to be children and five others women, Al Ansari said, while the Palestinians to be released from Israeli prisons would consist of 33 children and six women.
US President Joe Biden spoke to Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the hold-up over the hostage deal, Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said.
About 3-and-a-half hours after their call, the White House learned from the Qataris that the agreement was back on and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was moving to collect the hostages, Ms Watson added.
The armed wing of Hamas had earlier said it was delaying the scheduled second round of hostage releases until Israel met all truce conditions, including committing to let aid trucks into northern Gaza.
A Hamas spokesperson, Osama Hamdan, said only 65 of 340 aid trucks that had entered Gaza since yesterday had reached northern Gaza, which was "less than half of what Israel agreed on."
Al-Qassam Brigades also said Israel had failed to respect the terms of the Palestinian prisoner releases.
Qadura Fares, the Palestinian commissioner for prisoners, said Israel had not released detainees by seniority, as was expected.
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Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a member of Israel's security cabinet, told Channel 13 News that Israel was "abiding by the deal" with Hamas that Qatar had mediated.
Israel has said 50 trucks with food, water, shelter equipment and medical supplies had deployed to northern Gaza under UN supervision, the first significant aid delivery there since the start of the war.
The brief dispute over the truce raised concerns over the smooth implementation of the hostage deal after 13 Israeli women and children were freed by Hamas yesterday. Some 39 Palestinian women and teenagers were released from Israeli jails.
Israeli army spokesperson Olivier Rafowicz told French television Israel was strictly honouring the terms of the truce, and said the military had carried out no attacks or offensive operations in Gaza on Saturday.
Truce extended?
A total of 50 hostages are to be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners over four days under the truce, the first halt in fighting since Hamas fighters rampaged through southern Israel on 7 October, killing 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.
In response to that attack, Israel vowed to destroy the Hamas militants who run Gaza, raining bombs and shells on the enclave and launching a ground offensive in the north. To date, some 14,800 people, roughly 40% of them children, have been killed, Palestinian health authorities have said.
Before the delay to the latest hostage and prisoner exchange, Egypt, which controls the Rafah border crossing through which aid supplies have resumed into southern Gaza, said it had received "positive signals" from all parties over a possible truce extension.
Israel has said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continues to release hostages at a rate of at least 10 per day. A Palestinian source has said up to 100 hostages could go free.
Dancing for joy
The short-lived row over the truce accord's implementation contrasted with scenes of joy earlier in the day as hostages were reunited with their families.
After almost 50 days in captivity in Gaza, nine-year-old Ohad Munder ran down a hospital corridor in Israel into his father's arms, footage released by the hospital showed.
He and three other children released at the same time were in relatively good condition, Gilat Livni, the centre's Director of Paediatrics told reporters.
"They shared experiences, we were up with them until late at night and it was interesting, upsetting and moving," said Livni.
"I dreamt we came home," said another hostage, four-year-old Raz Asher, as she sat in her father's arms on a hospital bed after she and her mother and younger sister were freed. "Now the dream came true," her father, Yoni, replied.
For Palestinians, however, joy at the release of prisoners from Israeli jails had a bitter tinge to it. Israeli police were seen raiding the home of Sawsan Bkeer on Friday shortly before her daughter Marah, 24, was released. Israeli police declined to comment.
"There is no real joy, even this little joy we feel as we wait," said Sawsan Bkeer. "We are still afraid to feel happy," she said.
