“I don’t ask my sons about what they went through in captivity. I wait for them to tell me,” Silvia Cunio said in her conversation with Michal Herzog at the start of the conference. “I discovered things I didn’t know when I watched David’s interview on television and Ariel’s interview with Arbel Yehud, his partner.”
Cunio and Herzog had shared the same stage about a year earlier, when the sons were still being held by terror groups in Gaza and their condition was unknown. Since then, Israel and Hamas completed their latest deal in October for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
Herzog said: “We’re meeting again after a year, again for International Women’s Day and the women’s conference, but under different circumstances.”
Cunio replied: “Who I was then and who I am now — are two completely different people.”
Herzog: “To me, you truly embody maternal courage. You fought for them and you got them back.”
Cunio: “Last June, we received a message that Ariel was very seriously wounded. We didn’t know what to expect. We were under extreme pressure. We only knew he was alive. What sustained me was hope.”
Herzog: “And then they called from Gaza.”
Cunio: “At first I didn’t answer because the media kept calling and I didn’t want to pick up. In the end I answered because they told me it was from Gaza. Then I saw both of them together. David said, ‘Mom, we’re completely fine.’ I couldn’t get a word out. I was so happy.”
Herzog: “It really is a miracle. Now you have the whole family together.”
Cunio: “Everyone is physically safe. But there is still a lot of emotional healing needed.”
Herzog noted that Israeli society has begun a process of recovery following the return of the hostages — some to their families, others to burial. But there's still a long path of healing that remains ahead.
Cunio: “That’s right. They are not the same children. It takes a long time to go through the entire healing process, both physically and mentally. They need healing, and so do we. And I think all of Israel does, because we all went through something.”
Herzog said she sees Cunio as an intuitive mother who knew when to speak out and persist, and now knows how to give her sons space.
Cunio: “I never pushed into their homes or their privacy. I always waited for them to invite me.”
Herzog: “And now there are family meals again, a full table.”
Cunio: “Yes, we’ve managed to eat together as a family. But I give them their space because they have their own families. We meet once every two to three weeks.”
Herzog: “It’s admirable that you don't push them, but let them to share their struggle with you when they're ready. Some of the things, I’m sure, you’re hearing along with the rest of us in their interviews.”
Cunio: “I don’t ask — I wait for them to tell me. I learned things I didn’t know in both David’s interview and Ariel’s interview with Arbel.”
Herzog said that on the morning the sons returned, there was overwhelming joy, but also an open wound and many processes still ahead. She asked whether Cunio wants the Israeli public to continue its support or to step back.
Cunio: “On one hand it’s moving and gives strength. On the other, it’s very important to give us some privacy.”
Herzog said there are many layers of grief still to address, noting that Israeli society is undergoing deep processes and that many people suffering from post-trauma will need continued care. She added that women play a crucial role, not only because many caregivers are women, but because women bring a distinct voice — “a quiet strength,” like Cunio’s as a mother.
Asked what she would wish for, Cunio said: “I wish for peace for the whole world. That there will be no more wars. And to always stay optimistic and smile. That’s what saved me.”
Herzog said the family’s fracture and recovery should serve as an example for the nation, especially in moments of anger and disagreement. “We’ve experienced a difficult period, and some of us are still going through it. There are many bereaved families and many wounded among us. Before we speak harshly, we need to remember that.”
Cunio added: “The strength of unity — wins.”
Herzog also spoke about her work with survivors of sexual assault: “There is power in women who tell their very difficult stories. They are heroes who went through hard times and pain, and with great courage slowly begin to open up. We need to be there to support them.”
Cunio said: “I myself experienced sexual harassment at age 5, and I think it is the worst thing a woman can go through. We have to speak out, we have to bring it out. The more we talk about it, the more it heals. Don’t be ashamed. Sharing your story is the first step.”
Herzog concluded: “It’s important that we give each person respect, space and time, at their own pace. Everyone will do it in the time and place that suits them.”