Hamas Abducts Four Family Members
David Cunio, along with his wife Sharon Aloni Cunio and 3-year-old twin daughters Emma and Yuli, were taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from their home in kibbutz Nir Oz. That day, Sharon alerted her relatives at around 10:30 a.m. that terrorists had entered her neighbor’s home. Twenty minutes later, she sent a text informing them that the terrorists had broken into her house and was afraid she and her family would not make it.
That was the last time Sharon’s relatives heard from her. They then reached out to some of Cunio’s relatives, who also lived in kibbutz Nir Oz and had managed to survive the Hamas attack. They said they had checked Cunio and Sharon’s house and could not find them.
Later that day, a video featuring Sharon, Cunio, and one of their twin daughter, with Hamas terrorists at the back of a pickup truck, made rounds on the internet. The Israeli authorities recognized the four family members as kidnapped five days later.
Sharon and Her Twin Daughters Released
Following a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel last month, Sharon was released together with her twin daughters. During their time in captivity in Gaza, the Israeli mother said her 3-year-old daughter Yuli was taken away from her for about ten days. Sharon lived worried about her daughter’s well-being during that period of separation.
Luckily, Yuli reunited with her mom a few days before their release. It was then discovered that Hamas had arranged with a Palestinian woman to hold captive the 3-year-old Israeli girl. Meanwhile, Cunio remains in the hands of the terrorists in Gaza.
Remaining Hostages in Gaza
According to Israeli authorities, Hamas and Palestinian Jihad are still holding 136 people, including ten elderly men, 20 women, 114 men, and two children. Eleven of the hostages are foreign nationals. The ceasefire deal required the Gaza-based terror groups to release all children and women, but they failed to fulfill the obligation.
Meanwhile, Hamas deputy Political chief Saleh al-Arouri told news outlet Al Jazeera over the weekend that the terror group had halted hostage release negotiations until Israel Defense Forces end its ongoing operation in Gaza.
