News Brief
Kuldeep Negi
Nov 09, 2024, 04:02 PM | Updated 04:02 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
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.
Speaking to Channel 12, she said, “There are no innocents in Gaza, not even one," NDTV reported.
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.
Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.