Serbia’s President Confirms Quiet Plea to Arab Leaders for Israeli Hostage Alon Ohel

In a deeply personal revelation, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić shared last week that he made direct appeals to Arab leaders to secure the release of Israeli-Serbian hostage Alon Ohel, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 while attending the Nova music festival in Israel.

Speaking in an exclusive interview from the Presidential Palace in Belgrade, Vučić described meeting the Ohel family on multiple occasions. “I was so touched by the way they were presenting the case of their son and grandson,” he said. “They were so proud and so dignified.”

Ohel, now confirmed to be alive but gravely injured, has been held in Gaza for more than 600 days. According to his family, he was wounded by grenade shrapnel and suffered brutal abuse. His mother reported that a teenage Hamas operative stitched his wounds with no anesthetic, leaving him blind in one eye.

Vučić said he quietly reached out to several allies in the Arab world, including close partners like the UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, pleading for intervention. “We got some info that he was alive,” Vučić recounted. “It is terribly difficult conveying this type of message to the mother who is waiting for her son.”

Despite Serbia’s limited leverage in the conflict, Vučić emphasized his country’s moral commitment: “He is our citizen, he is an Israeli citizen. He is just a young man who has the right to live. I am begging those people to help take care of that young guy and free him as soon as possible.”

The Serbian president’s empathy extended to Alon’s parents and grandparents, whom he described as exemplifying “how Israelis and Jewish people are able to bear that type of burden on their shoulders.”

“These people are civilians. Being present at a music festival, listening to music that was their biggest sin,” Vučić said.

His heartfelt remarks come amid an increasingly close relationship between Serbia and Israel. Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Belgrade last September and the continued diplomatic dialogue reflect shared values and deepening ties between the two nations.

In moments of immense pain and uncertainty, the power of international solidarity shines through. Serbia’s stand with Israel and President Vučić’s personal intervention highlight a bond rooted in humanity, dignity, and justice.

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