Israeli hostages held by Hamas endure many hardships, including family separation, uncertainty about their fate, scarcity of food, and limited access to bathroom facilities. Sharon Alony-Cunio and her twin girls were held for 52 days before being released, while her husband, David Cunio, is one of about 135 Israelis still being held in Gaza. She described captivity as “a Russian roulette” and is worried about her husband’s safety. Alony-Cunio is advocating for the remaining hostages to be released as soon as possible.
In Gaza, the Israeli military campaign has taken a heavy toll on civilians. The advocacy group ActionAid International calls Gaza the most dangerous place in the world for women due to unprecedented levels of violence, with a majority of the death toll being women and children. Meanwhile, the Israeli military says it discovered an RPG training facility hidden inside a mosque in a civilian neighborhood of northern Gaza, which included grenades, cartridges, and various firearms.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the U.N. General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The resolution is expected to easily win approval, and no member country has veto power in the General Assembly. This comes after the United States vetoed a similar resolution in the Security Council last week, with Egypt and the Republic of Mauritania calling for the General Assembly to address the crisis urgently.