David Cunio

David Cunio, 34, is an Israeli actor who was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, during a Hamas terrorist attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel. He and his wife, Sharon Aloni Cunio, 33, along with their 3-year-old twin daughters, Yuli and Emma, were abducted, as well as Sharon's sister, Danielle Aloni, 44, and her daughter Emilia, 5, who were visiting the family for the holiday weekend.

David and his three brothers were born and raised in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Another brother, Ariel Cunio, was also taken hostage on the same day, along with his girlfriend, Arbel Yehud, and Arbel’s brother, Dolev Yehud.

David's wife Sharon and the twin daughters, Yuli and Emma, were released on November 27, 2023, as part of a temporary ceasefire deal brokered by Qatar and the United States between Hamas and Israel. Danielle Aloni and her daughter Emilia were released on November 24.

David and Sharon Cunio met ten years ago when David and his twin brother, Eitan Cunio, were hired to act in Tom Shoval’s 2013 feature film "Youth." Sharon Aloni was handling press relations for the film at the time. They fell in love while working on the film, and eventually settled in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

On the day of the attack, the family sought refuge in their home's bomb shelter as missile alerts sounded in various parts of the country. However, they were eventually forced to flee as terrorists set their house on fire. A TikTok video circulated later in the day, appearing to show David, Sharon, and one of the twins on the back of a pickup truck with Hamas terrorists.

The Aloni family was informed six days later that all six family members were officially recognized as kidnapped by Hamas and taken to Gaza.