When Messi 'saved' Argentine woman from Hamas attack

When militants from Hamas burst into her home on Israel’s Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 of last year, 90-year-old Esther Cunio did the unthinkable. She discussed her Argentine heritage and the fact that she was born in Lionel Messi’s home nation.

The word “Messi” seemed to work like magic. Not only did she make it through the attack, but a Hamas terrorist even posed for a brief video with her while she held his assault rifle.

The Times of Israel reports that eight members of her extended family were captured during the assault. The rest of her family was freed as part of the peace agreement, but her two grandkids and one of their partners remain detained in Gaza.

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After five months, Cunio will be included in a brand-new documentary on the strike by Hamas that started the current conflict in Gaza.

She described what had transpired on that terrible day in a segment from the documentary “Voces de 7 de octubre - Latino Stories of Survival,” which is now under production.

On October 7, Cunio recalled in the film, two Hamas agents knocked on her door and asked about her family.

The 90-year-old’s life was soon saved by an unexpected turn of events in the conversation.

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She said, “Do you watch soccer?” to them.

In response to a Hamas operative nodding, she said, “I am from where Messi is from.”

Filled with enthusiasm upon hearing the name of one of the greatest football players, “I like Messi,” exclaimed one of them. Then, for a video, he had her strike a stance with his gun and a victory sign.

Reliving the scene from the movie, she hoped Messi would realize that it was up to him that she made it through that day.