Freed Hostage Slams UN and International Red Cross; “Not a single humanitarian agency saw me or treated me”
In a scathing indictment, a former hostage of Hamas in Gaza has delivered a damning critique of the international community’s failure to intervene on her behalf. Mia Schem, a 22-year-old dual Israeli-French citizen, was held captive for over 50 days by the Palestinian militant group.
Speaking at a press conference outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, Schem recounted her harrowing experience. “Not a single humanitarian agency saw me or treated me,” she said, lamenting the absence of organizations like the Red Cross and the United Nations. “Where was the U.N. demanding that they have access to us?”
Schem’s ordeal began during a music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, where she was abducted by Palestinian terrorists and shot in the arm. She was then taken to Gaza, where she was held in the home of a Palestinian family, enduring sexual harassment and taunts from a child. “There are no innocents in Gaza, not even one,” she said in a later interview.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon, who also spoke at the press conference, described the U.N.’s “complete moral failure” as “unforgivable.” He criticized the international body for failing to take concrete action to secure the release of the hostages, stating that “it’s been over a year and the United Nations hasn’t lifted a finger to free the hostages.”
The United Nations and its Security Council have issued calls for Hamas to release the Israeli hostages but have stopped short of outlining any meaningful consequences or sanctions. UN Watch has tracked the United Nations’ dismal response to the Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis. Hamas is not categorized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the UN has not officially condemned the attack on Israel, though it has condemned Israel’s response. UNRWA, the UN branch that gives aid to the Palestinians, has been found to be complicit in aiding Hamas and has banned the organization.
Before the General Assembly session on UNRWA, I gave a media statement with Mia Schem, who was released from Hamas captivity. Together we criticized the moral failure of the UN, which has not lifted a finger for the hostages since that Black Sabbath on October 7th. Together we… pic.twitter.com/1WilB34Ili
— Danny Danon
דני דנון (@dannydanon) November 6, 2024
Schem’s story highlights the perceived inaction of the international community as she languished in captivity without any intervention or assistance.
“For 50 days, I was kept alone, suffering from an unbearable pain in my hand, without any treatment,” Schem recounted. “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.”
Schem’s harrowing experience has sparked outrage and renewed calls for the international community to take a stronger stance against Hamas and demand the release of all hostages. As she eloquently stated, “I came here to cry out to the world and to the world’s greatest power to cry out and demand that the next president to be elected in the United States must do everything in his power to free all the hostages, not just some of them but all of them.”
The failure of the United Nations and the international community to intervene on Schem’s behalf has been widely condemned, with many calling it a “complete moral failure.” As the world grapples with the complex and ongoing conflict in the region, the plight of hostages like Mia Schem serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for decisive action and accountability.
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