‘My Sons Are Not on Vacation. They’re Kidnapped.’
Silvia Cunio’s life was shattered on October 7, 2023, when her sons David and Ariel were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas along with David’s wife, Sharon Aloni Cunio, Ariel’s fiancée, Arbel Yehud, and their children. Nearly 21 months later, the Argentine-born mother, who emigrated to Israel in 1986, is still waiting for the return of her sons and continues fighting for her family.
“It’s very difficult. I wouldn’t wish anyone to be in my shoes,” Silvia told The Media Line. “As a mother who has done, does, and will do everything for her children, I will keep fighting.”
She described the torture of not knowing: “When a parent, after five minutes of their child being late coming home, starts to panic—imagine after almost 21 months that they’ve been kidnapped.” Her voice breaks as she insists, “They are not on vacation or living their lives, they’re kidnapped.”
Silvia’s four sons lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Six family members, including her daughter-in-law and granddaughters, have been released from Gaza, but “my other two sons are still there,” she said.
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Asked about any recent news, Silvia described a constant uncertainty: “We learned he was alive, but after a minute, you don’t know what could happen,” she said. So we don’t know anything about David or about Ariel.”
She added, “I know he has skin problems because of the lack of hygiene, the lack of water, the lack of food, the lack of sun. That’s what they told us.”
Her message to her sons is a mother’s unbreakable promise: “I am sure they will keep fighting for their lives. I hope that they see us on TV, or hear us on the radio, because I know some listen and watch, that we’re always fighting for them, and that we will keep fighting, I will keep fighting for them until the end of my life,” she said.
She listed the world leaders and senior officials who have reached out or been involved, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, state coordinator for the hostages Gal Hirsch, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, opposition politicians Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. “These highest authorities have communicated with us, have spoken with us, we’ve had meetings, and they keep calling us,” she said.
Silvia highlighted the support from President Herzog and his wife, Michal: “President Herzog is always with us, both he and his wife Michal, and they are the ones who give us strength too.”
What keeps Silvia going is the character of her sons. “They are two exemplary sons,” she said. “David is an electrician, an exemplary father. Ariel is the youngest; he studied computer science. Both of them, really all four of them, have a lot of respect for others.”
To those who ask how to help, Silvia’s message is simple and urgent: “Stay together and we will succeed, and keep praying for them, and keep shouting to the world and telling the world what happened to us and what is still happening.”
She ended with a message of hope: “I hope that very soon we will have good news and we can all be together and talk about this and laugh together.”
