'Mommy, no, don't die': Recording of Cunio family kidnapping reveals October 7 horror

Sharon Aloni-Cunio was taken hostage, along with her family from Nir Oz - in a new recording published by N12, the harrowing moments from their kidnapping is heard.

 SHARON ALONI-CUNIO, 34, holds her twins Yuli Cunio, 3, and Emma Cunio, 3, at Schneider Children’s Medical Center after their release by Hamas. (photo credit: Schneider Children’s Medical Center/Reuters)
SHARON ALONI-CUNIO, 34, holds her twins Yuli Cunio, 3, and Emma Cunio, 3, at Schneider Children’s Medical Center after their release by Hamas.
(photo credit: Schneider Children’s Medical Center/Reuters)

A new recording of the moments from the kidnapping of the Cunio family on October 7 has been obtained and released by N12 on Tuesday. 

In the recording, the voices of Sharon Aloni-Cunio and her young daughters are heard. Cunio was kidnapped alongside her three-year-old twin daughters Ella and Yuli, and her husband, David, is still held hostage by Hamas. 

Sharon Aloni-Cunio, in the recording, is heard speaking on the phone on October 7, saying, "Yes, in Nir Oz. We are suffocating to death. There are terrorists outside our home."

While speaks, one of her daughters is heard saying, "Mommy, no, don't die." Her daughter chillingly repeats this phrase throughout the recording as Hamas terrorists entered their home. 

A voice on the line responds to Cunio, stating, "Ma'am, hello, can you hear me?"

 Israeli soldiers walking next to the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, November 21, 2023. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90)
Israeli soldiers walking next to the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, November 21, 2023. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90)

The phone call ends as a terrorist is heard shouting at Cunio and her family, telling them to "Come, come with us." There are other unintelligible voices, shouts, and cries of young children heard over the recording. 

The terrorist tells the family, "Come here, come here. Are there any people inside? Are there any children?"

David Cunio, Sharon's husband, remains in Hamas captivity 

Cunio and her daughters were released in the hostage deal in late November 2023. David, and his younger brother, Ariel Cunio, was abducted with his girlfriend, Arbel Yehud, from Nir Oz. Ariel and Arbel are still being held hostage by Hamas.

Sharon's sister, Moran and Danielle Aloni, were also taken hostage along with their children. Sharon and her husband, David Cunio, were kept in captivity together for some time, but were ultimately separated when global negotiations were able to retrieve female hostages and children.


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Kibbutz Nir Oz has faced harrowing days with the announcement that Haim Perry and Yoram Metzger, age 80, and Amiram Cooper, age 84, all from Nir Oz, were killed while in Hamas captivity

In a statement made to N12, Sharon speaks of her husband and the hardships of her family, noting, "It eats your heart when you see families that are whole. And then there are the three of us without him."

"Just to have him back. We will get better. Just to get him back already."