Israel FM Cohen slams Irish PM for saying released Gaza hostage was 'found' after she was 'lost'

Tel Aviv: Israel Foreign Minister Eli Cohen chided Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar for saying that an Israeli-Irish child hostage was "found" after she was "lost," after she was released by Hamas, 50 days into her captivity, the media reported.

In a post on X directed at Varadkar, Cohen wrote: "It seems you have lost your moral compass and need a reality check!"

Emily Hand, 9, was originally presumed dead after Hamas attacked Kibbutz Be'eri as part of its October 7 rampage against Israel's southern communities and a large outdoor music festival, killing nearly 1,200 people, the majority civilians..

Hand was later confirmed to be among the 240 hostages taken that day to the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported.

"Emily Hand was not 'lost', she was kidnapped by a terror organisation worse than ISIS that murdered her stepmother," Cohen said.

"Emily and more than 30 other Israeli children were taken hostage by Hamas, and you are trying to legitimise and normalise terror. Shame on you!" he added.