Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade alongside an Israeli woman whose son is being held captive by Hamas in Gaza.
Herzog was accompanied on the visit by Idit Ohel, an Israeli of Serbian origin whose son Alon was taken hostage when Hamas attacked the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im on Oct. 7, 2023. Alon has been in captivity for 342 days.
“Thank you very much, my good friend President Vučić, for your kind hospitality,” said Herzog. “You mentioned so graciously and emotionally the plight of 101 Israeli hostages—hostages who are from various nationalities. One of them is Alon Ohel, a young Israeli of Serbian origin, who is a musician, an incredible kid, who was there at the music festival” near Kibbutz Re’im.
“The world must remember and know that the plight and the return of the hostages should be the utmost objective of the international community,” the president added as he introduced Idit Ohel to his Serbian counterpart.
The Israeli head of state also met with Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić. Herzog participated in a Holocaust memorial ceremony and met with the local Jewish community.
