News Brief
'Where Was The UN?': Freed Hamas Hostage Mia Shem Slams United Nations Over Lack Of Support For Hostages In Gaza
Mia Shem, who was taken hostage by Hamas after 7 October attack and later released after nearly 50 days.
A former Hamas hostage has slammed the United Nations and other advocacy organisations for their lack of support for hostages remaining in Gaza.
Speaking outside the United Nations Security Council in New York on Thursday (7 November), Mia Shem expressed her frustration over what she called the UN’s failure in seeking aid for those still held.
“Not a single humanitarian agency saw me or treated me. Where was the Red Cross? Where was the UN demanding that they have access to us?” said Mia Shem, who was released in November 2023.
The 22-year-old, who holds both Israeli and French nationality, recounted her ordeal, describing isolation, absence of medical care, and intimidation by armed guards.
“For 50 days, I was kept alone, suffering from an unbearable pain in my hand, without any treatment. A Hamas terrorist sat in front of me in a dark room with a gun pointed at my head. Not a single humanitarian agency saw me or treated me even as my arm got worse," she said.
Shem further revealed that following her abduction, she was held in a Palestinian home, where she endured harassment from an adult and taunts from a child.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, also addressed the media, strongly condemning what he called the UN’s “complete moral failure".
He said the UN's silence on the issue was “unforgivable.”
According to a report in The New York Post, while the UN Security Council has made statements urging Hamas to release Israeli hostages, it has not proposed concrete actions or sanctions to support these demands.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has stated that, due to its neutral humanitarian role, it cannot adopt a strong public stance, although it has expressed a desire to visit Israeli captives.
