An upcoming documentary reveals how one 90-year-old woman found herself saved by an unlikely hero from capture by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attack on Israel.
Esther Cunio, residing in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel, spoke in the recently released documentary “Voces de 7 de octubre – Latino Stories of Survival,” detailing how she was saved from a potential hostage situation — not by the soldiers of the IDF but by her own countryman Lionel Messi.
In a preview from the documentary, Cunio recalls the day when two Hamas operatives knocked on her door.
Then I tell him, 'do you watch football?' He said he liked it and I told him I am from Messi's country. He was surprised and told me he loves Messi. He put his arm on my shoulder, gave me his gun, he made me do the peace sign and they snapped the picture." pic.twitter.com/Jtgs6swDeS
— テレマ博士 (ザ・ドクターズ・ドクター) (@Destinino) March 9, 2024
Cunio details how she struggled to communicate during the chaotic day, attempting in vain to explain that she could only communicate in the famously unique Argentine dialect. Eventually, she tried a different approach.
“Do you watch soccer?” she asked them.
To which a Hamas operative nodded, and upon her revelation,
“I am from where Messi is from,” one of them expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I like Messi.”
Cunio claims that the Hamas belligerent then handed his assault rifle and took a picture of her, with the unlikely pair of soccer fans flashing the peace sign at the camera. The Hamas fighters then left Cunio in peace, unmolested and free from capture.
A 90-year-old Argentine woman avoided being kidnapped by Hamas members in Israel thanks to Messi. The woman said: "I'm from where Messi is from…" Then the attacker took a photo with her and left. pic.twitter.com/OnqG8eaaBb
— Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) March 9, 2024
Despite her remarkable story of survival, Cunio was still affected by the human toll of the events. During the attack, eight members of Cunio’s extended family were taken hostage, with two grandchildren and one of their girlfriends still being held in Gaza. The others were released as part of a truce deal.
