Mia Shem, a young woman who endured 50 days as a hostage of Hamas in Gaza, has delivered a powerful message to the world: where was the international community when she needed them most? Shem, a dual Israeli-French national, spoke out during a press conference outside the United Nations National Security Council in New York, expressing her frustration with the lack of support she received during her captivity.
Shem detailed her harrowing experience, emphasizing the absence of humanitarian aid, medical care, and any semblance of international intervention. “Not a single humanitarian agency saw me or treated me. Where was the Red Cross? Where was the U.N. demanding that they have access to us?” Shem questioned, her voice echoing the anger and disappointment felt by many.
Shem recounted the physical pain she endured, having sustained an arm injury during her abduction at the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. She was left untreated for days, forced to endure the agony while being held in a dark room, her life threatened by a Hamas terrorist. “For 50 days, I was kept alone, suffering from an unbearable pain in my hand, without any treatment,” Shem stated, revealing the brutal reality of her captivity.
Beyond the physical hardship, Shem also detailed disturbing accounts of abuse she experienced within the Palestinian home where she was held. She described sexual harassment from a man and the taunting of a child who offered her candy, further fueling her sense of disillusionment. “There are no innocents in Gaza, not even one,” Shem declared, her words starkly reflecting the trauma she endured.
Shem’s courageous testimony has sparked calls for action and accountability. At a conference organized by the Tel Aviv-based human rights organization Shurat HaDin, Shem urged the world, particularly the U.S. government, to prioritize the release of hostages still held in Gaza. “I came here to cry out to the world and to the world’s greatest power to demand that the next president do everything in their power to free all the hostages,” Shem implored, her voice filled with hope for the future of those still captive.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador, Danny Danon, echoed Shem’s sentiments, criticizing the U.N.’s inaction and lack of condemnation towards Hamas. He pointed to the global body’s “complete moral failure” in not taking a stronger stance against Hamas’s actions. “While Shem was locked in a cage alongside other women, none of the U.N. bodies found the decency to condemn Hamas and demand the hostages’ release,” Danon stated, highlighting the international community’s responsibility to act in the face of human suffering.
Mia Shem’s story serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the urgent need for international action to protect innocent civilians. Her courageous voice joins a growing chorus demanding justice for those held hostage and a renewed commitment to safeguarding human rights in times of crisis.
