Former hostage David Cunio has shared the harrowing ordeal he and his family endured after being abducted from their home on October 7, 2023. During the attack, David, his wife Sharon, and their daughters were separated and taken to Gaza, facing uncertainty over the fate of their daughter Emma. The family was eventually reunited in captivity, but their ordeal continued with severe deprivation, psychological torment, and forced separation when Sharon and the girls were released before David.

David described surviving on minimal food and water, enduring constant fear, and drawing strength from memories of his loved ones. He recounted how small tokens, like a hair tie and handmade necklaces, helped him maintain hope. The emotional toll was immense, but thoughts of his family kept him alive until his eventual release, when he was reunited with his brother Ariel, though the fate of other family members remained unknown.