After 584 days, Edan Alexander’s reunion with his family in Gaza brought hope to Sylvia Cunio and others still waiting for their loved ones to return from captivity. Earlier this week, as families across America celebrated Mother’s Day, a miracle occurred as Edan was finally reunited with his parents. Watching them embrace, witnessing their tears of joy and relief, filled the author with happiness and hope for those still waiting. However, it also deepened her anguish at not being able to hold her two sons again.
For 18 months, Sylvia has been fighting for her sons’ lives, dedicating every moment to this cause. She arrived in Israel with her husband Louis from Argentina in 1986, dreaming of a life there. They never anticipated that decades later, she would be pleading for the world to help bring her sons home from captivity.
Sylvia describes her sons as vibrant, loving men. David, who turns 35 on May 21, is a devoted father with twin daughters, Yuli and Emma, who are just 4 years old. Ariel, her younger son, is a ‘mama’s boy’ and a software tester who has a passion for music and astronomy. He recently returned from exploring South America with his girlfriend Arbel Yehoud.
On October 6, 2023, their family gathered at their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz to celebrate the holiday. By the next morning, eight family members had been kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, including David, Sharon, their twin daughters, Ariel, Arbel, Sharon’s sister Daniela, and her 5-year-old daughter.
Every night, Sylvia has the same dream of seeing her sons in a hospital bed, desperate to hold them and relieve their suffering. While one dream was so vivid that she woke expecting to find them beside her, the reality is crushing. The text messages from her sons, describing the horror and fear, haunt her daily.
In November 2023, the first hostage deal brought David’s wife and daughters back, but her sons remained. For two months, Ariel was missing before she learned he was in Gaza. The uncertainty was agonizing. Then, in February, Arbel was freed in a hostage exchange, but she never saw Ariel again. This knowledge brings both comfort and fear. Ariel was alive then, but now, where is he?
David’s daughters turned 4 without their father and uncle. Every night, they cry, asking when the ‘bad people’ will bring daddy home. How does one explain such horror to a child? Sylvia is torn, caring for those who returned while fighting for those still missing.
She is deeply grateful to Donald Trump, his administration, and the Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff for securing Arbel’s release and Edan’s return. She implores everyone to continue their crucial work with the same urgency that brought them home.
Edan’s reunion reminded her that miracles are possible, but she is just one mother among many waiting. There are 56 other hostages in Gaza, each with families desperate for reunion. Those alive deserve to be reunited or buried with dignity.
The return of hostages is not political or military; it’s a moral imperative. While there will be time for campaigns, the lives of these hostages cannot wait. Every day diminishes their survival chances.
Despite the despair, Sylvia refuses to lose hope. She believes there is light at the end of the tunnel and insists they will wait for them there. However, time is running out. While Edan’s mother can now hold her son, she pleads to hold her own children, who are still missing.
As a mother who came to Israel to build a life for her children, she will never stop fighting for them. She will be their voice until they can speak for themselves again. Her plea is simple: Bring my sons and all 58 hostages home, and make our families whole again.