Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has met the family of Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand, including her father Thomas, and her half-sister Natali.
The eight-year-old is believed to have been abducted by Hamas and is likely being held in Gaza.
Thomas Hand was told by authorities that his daughter was among the dead after the Hamas attack on 7 October.
However, it has emerged that the authorities now believe that Emily was not killed, and was most likely abducted and is being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Last week Emily's half-sister Natali Hand issued an appeal to the Irish Government to help "get her back".
The Hand family were accompanied by other family members of hostages in Gaza, and by the Israeli Ambassador to a meeting held in Government Buildings.
Speaking following the meeting, Mr Varadkar said: "I assured the Hand family that the Government will do all in its power to secure the release of Emily and to assist the Hand family, and I emphasised Ireland's call on Hamas to release all hostages immediately without any preconditions.
"I committed to continue calling for all hostages held by Hamas to be released immediately, and I also committed to continue raising the issue of hostages with international agencies and Governments, and through any other avenues which might help.
"I also used the opportunity of the meeting with the Israeli Ambassador to raise the issue of Irish-Palestinian dual citizens in Gaza who have asked to leave the territory."
The Taoiseach also raised Emily Hand’s case in Paris last week with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, and Prince Rashid, Chief Adviser to the King of Jordan and the head of Jordan’s humanitarian operation.
Assistance for those Irish citizens who wish to leave Gaza was also discussed during these meetings.
Speaking earlier, Mr Varadkar said he believes in his heart that Emily Hand is alive.
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Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin is also expected to meet Mr Hand in Dublin tomorrow, ahead of a trip to the Middle East later this week.
President Michael D Higgins will also meet the Hand family tomorrow.
Earlier, Thomas Hand asked for a renewed focus on the Israeli hostages taken to Gaza.
Mr Hand, originally from Dún Laoghaire in Dublin, described his daughter Emily as a "fun-loving child" who loves music, dancing and singing.
"Even my dog misses her. She used to use him as a pillow, stick her head down and fall asleep. Funny, the things that you miss, and now she's kidnapped in Gaza along with many others.
"I want to hug Emily again, love her, fix her."
He was speaking in Dublin after travelling there along with his older daughter Natali in order "to drum up as much sympathy and support" as possible.
Similar events are being held in other Israeli embassies to raise the case of citizens feared kidnapped during the attack over a month ago.
Imagining being reunited with Emily, he said: "I'm going to hold her forever. I'm never going to let her go."
He said he is "very happy" with the Government's efforts to free hostages, and said it has been doing "a lot", adding that the Irish ambassador to Israel, Sonya McGuinness, had visited them to give them the "little information" she had.
Asked whether he is afraid of rockets being launched in Gaza while his daughter is in the enclave, he said: "I'm sure Emily was taken by the Hamas, not the Palestinian people, by the Hamas - and they'll be safe down in the tunnels with the Hamas, they'll be safe down there."
He added: "I feel sorry for the Palestinian people. They're suffering for what the Hamas is doing to them. They say that we're the occupiers, we're not the occupiers, Hamas is the occupiers."
Natali Hand said she was in Australia when the Hamas attack happened, and got a video call from Emily who told her that her friend's house, where she had been staying the night, was burning.
"She was asking me why I didn't take her to Australia.
"Our bodies hurt from crying, we have no tears left," said Natali, whose mother was killed on 7 October.
She said they wanted to keep the international focus on the kidnapped children in particular.
"They shouldn't be suffering because of politics, it has nothing to do with that," she said.
"We'll do everything we can to get her back."
Eylon Keshet also spoke of his cousin Yarden Bibas, his wife Shiri Bibas and their sons Ariel, four, and 10-month-old Kfir, who are feared kidnapped in Gaza.
"Release them. I want them back. But I don't want any more body bags," he said.
"It's important to understand that this is a humanitarian issue - regardless of politics, a 10-month-old baby can't be used as a bargaining chip for any political or religious reason whatsoever."
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste announced he is to travel to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, as well as Egypt.
Speaking at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels this morning, Mr Martin said: "The situation in the region is at a critical point, with a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and continued risks of regional escalation.
"I have been engaging intensively with regional counterparts since October 7 and will return to the region this week, following my visit in September, to continue that engagement.
"In Egypt, I hope to meet with foreign minister Sameh Shoukry and secretary general of the Arab League, Aboul Gheit.
"In Israel, I plan to see foreign minister Eli Cohen and hope also to visit the south of Israel and the communities that were devastated by the October 7 attacks."
He said he is scheduled to meet foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki in the occupied Palestinian territory, adding he "hopes" to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"I will be engaging in particular on the situation of Emily Hand, the eight-year old Irish-Israeli hostage, whose father Tom I will meet tomorrow in Dublin, as well as the situation of Irish citizens still in Gaza," Mr Martin said.
The Taoiseach also held discussions with the French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who is leading a French delegation of ministers visiting Dublin.
The talks are likely to touch on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the urgent need for a ceasefire to allow access to supplies, and allow EU passport holders to leave safely.
Ambassador says she will continue to represent Israeli people
Israel's ambassador to Ireland has responded to a planned Dáil motion calling for her to be expelled from this country by saying she will continue to represent the views of Israeli citizens.
Speaking at a Dublin press conference to highlight the experiences of Israeli citizens whose relatives have been taken hostage by Hamas, Israeli ambassador Dana Erlich said she is respectful of Irish democracy.
Asked about a Social Democrats motion due to be voted on in the Dáil on Wednesday which is seeking her expulsion from Ireland, Ambassador Erlich said she will respect the views of elected representatives of the Dáil and Seanad.
However, she added that she is obliged in her role to represent the views of Israeli citizens, and will continue to do so.
"I'm here representing my people. My people who were murdered. My people who were kidnapped in Gaza. My people who are still defending themselves from the constant rockets of Hamas every day.
"And I will continue to do so," she said.
Additional reporting Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
