"I’m from where Messi is from," 90-year-old Esther Cunio told the two masked Palestinian gunmen who moments earlier invaded her home in southern Israel during the October 7 rampage.

Nir Oz

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

Esther Cunio, a 90-year-old resident of southern Israel, recounted a harrowing experience where she attributed her survival to a connection with Lionel Messi. During an attack on October 7, two masked Palestinian gunmen invaded her home. In a moment that potentially saved her life, Cunio told the intruders, "I’m from where Messi is from," implying a link to Argentina, the football icon's home country.

The incident involving Cunio unfolded amidst a larger rampage on that day, which saw violence spread across her region. The specific details of how her reference to Messi influenced the gunmen's actions remain unclear. However, Cunio's story highlights a dramatic moment of interaction during a tense and dangerous situation.



Israeli grandma credits Messi for Oct. 7 survival

I'm from where Messi is from." It was these words that 90-year-old Esther Cuneo credits for saving her during the October 7th rampage. Moments earlier, two Palestinian gunmen had invaded her home in southern Israel near the Gaza border. Cuneo, who was born in Argentina but lives in kibbutz near Oz, spoke about her horrifying encounter in a new documentary called Voces del 7 de Octubre, Latino Stories of Survival. As the two intruders demanded to know where her family was, she told them she couldn't speak Arabic, only Argentine Spanish. She said they asked what Argentina was, so, seizing the moment, she mentioned it was Lionel Messi's home country. So I tell him, do you watch soccer? He then says to me, yes, yes, I like soccer. So I say to him, I'm from where Messi is from. Then he replies, Messi, I like Messi. Then a surreal moment happened. He put my hand like this, right here. He gave the revolver to me, the shotgun. He put his hand like this, and they took the picture of us. And well, then they left. The picture of Cuneo with an AK-47 on her lap, sitting next to a Palestinian militant, went viral on social media. In another part of Israel's near Oz, Cuneo's grandsons were taken hostage. Cuneo says she awaits the return of her golden boys. And now I hope that Messi knows that I mentioned him, and because of him I was saved. Now I would ask for my grandchildren, for my two grandchildren who are locked up in Gaza. I would tell him to please pray to God to send them to him, because they are kids who are worth gold, one David and the other Ariel Cuneo. The Hamas attack on October 7 sparked the devastating war in Gaza that has raged for more than five months. Argentina, Peru and Mexico have said co-nationals of their countries have been either killed or kidnapped in the conflict.

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Moscow

Ukraine Invasion

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As Suwayda

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Council of the City of Sydney

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