Hostage Crisis in Israel

In a situation that he describes as "hell on earth," Thomas Hand is enduring an agonizing wait for news about his 8-year-old daughter, Emily Hand, caught in the midst of a hostage crisis. Emily is feared to be among the more than 200 people, including around 30 children, taken by Hamas militants in the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

"It's a living nightmare," Hand told "CBS Mornings" on Wednesday.

Hand, who is originally from Ireland and has lived in Israel for the past three decades, said Emily was at a sleepover when the Hamas militant group attacked Israel in a coordinated, multi-fronted terror attack launched from the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territory Hamas has controlled for years. He said he was initially told that Emily was killed, but the Israeli military later informed him that Emily was alive and they found no evidence that she was killed.

He said a witness claimed to have seen Emily being led away with others, indicating she was alive when taken.

Now, Hand clings to hope. 

As her ninth birthday approaches, Hand is grieving the absence of the simple joys that his daughter should be experiencing. Instead of celebrating with cake and friends, she is trapped in the tunnels of Hamas. Hand hopes that she will be released before her birthday, but he knows that she won't even be aware of the significance of the day. Hand, who is currently in the U.S. seeking assistance in bringing his daughter home, is calling on governments worldwide to exert pressure on Hamas for the release of the hostages. He is determined to continue fighting and will not rest until his daughter is safely returned.