WATCH: Taoiseach gives update on efforts to locate Irish hostage being held in Gaza

THE Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed efforts are continuing to locate and secure the release of Irish schoolgirl Emily Hand who is being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

Mr Varadkar says Emily, who turns nine this Friday, is "not free to leave" Gaza and that Irish officials are "very much working" on her case.

Speaking to reporters at the AGM of the ICMSA in Clare, he added: "As recently as yesterday, I spoke with the president of the International Red Cross in Geneva just to see if there is anything that can be done to get more information about her whereabouts and what condition she is in."

It was initially thought Emily was killed during the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7 but, it has since been established that she was, in fact, taken hostage.

Speaking this Friday, the Taoiseach also confirmed around 25 Irish-Palestinian dual nationals have so far managed to travel out of Gaza into Egypt and that more are expected to leave the occupied territory in the coming days.

"I want to recognise the work done by our Department of Foreign Affairs officials on the ground and the cooperation from the Egyptian, Israeli and Jordanian authorities who has assisted us with this," he told reporters.

*VIDEO: Donal O'Regan