“I survived thanks to Messi”… 90-year-old grandmother escapes Hamas hostage

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Members of the Palestinian armed group Hamas, who attacked Israel on October 7 last year, are taking a commemorative photo after handing a long gun to Ester Cunio, an elderly woman who said she was from the same background as soccer player Lionel Messi. X (old Twitter) capture @FuenteLatina

An Argentine grandmother who was almost taken hostage during an attack on Israel by the Palestinian armed group Hamas testified that she was freed thanks to a mention of soccer player Lionel Messi.

On the 7th (local time), the U.S. non-profit media organization ‘Fuente Latina’ released the testimonies of Latinos who experienced the war between Israel and Hamas in the video ‘Voice of October 7, Latino Survival Story’.

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Ester Kunio, a 90-year-old woman living in Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, said that on October 7 last year, someone knocked on her door and opened it, only to encounter Hamas members armed with long guns.

Hamas members asked the elderly woman, who was alone, where her other family members were. Her grandmother lied and said she had no family.

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Afterwards, Hamas members continued to ask questions, but the grandmother did not know how to speak Arabic or Hebrew, so she faced a language barrier and felt that her life was in danger.

The grandmother said, “I don’t know your language, Arabic, and I’m not good at Hebrew. “I speak Argentine,” she said.

When Hamas members asked, “What is that?” the grandmother asked, “Do you watch soccer?” Hamas members responded, “We like soccer.”

The grandmother said, “I am the soccer player Messi, from the country of Messi.” Then, the Hamas members said, “They like Messi,” gave the grandmother her rifle and pistol, and asked to take a picture with her.

After taking the photo, they left without taking the grandmother hostage.

The grandmother escaped the crisis, but her twin grandchildren were taken by Hamas and have not yet returned to their family.

He expressed hope, saying, “I survived thanks to Messi, and I hope Messi will help my grandchildren and other hostages be released.”

Israel-Palestine War

Hyewon Lee, Donga.com

Source: Donga

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