Đurić from Reim: We ask for the release of the hostages, we ask for peace

Minister Đurić emphasized that this was an extremely emotional day for him, as he was visiting communities affected by the terrorist attacks of October 7.

"We are currently at the site of the Nova festival, where over five hundred young people were brutally killed. From here, Serbian-Israeli citizen Alon Ohel was taken hostage. He has been in Hamas captivity for 503 days, and I am here with his family, with his father and mother, to plead for his release," Đurić said.

The Serbian foreign minister stated that what happened at this location should never happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone in the world, and that the Jewish people have suffered greatly throughout history.

"Among all the difficult things I have seen in my life, this truly is one of the hardest. So, we ask for the release of the hostages, we ask for peace, and we hope that Alon will soon return home," emphasized the Serbian head of diplomacy.

Idit Ohel, the mother of the kidnapped Alon Ohel, expressed her gratitude for Minister Đurić’s visit to the place where Alon began his day.

She pointed out that Alon was at this location at 5:30 a.m., enjoying himself, singing, and dancing with the other numerous festival participants.

"And then everything began around 6 o’clock – so many rockets, so many terrorist attacks. Alon fled to a nearby place where he sought shelter," Idit Ohel said, emphasizing that this site serves as a memorial to all those who were there and a reminder of the horrific attack.

"I just want to say that the people who died here on October 7 were the ones who stopped the terrorists from reaching Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The terrorists were surprised to find so many people gathered here. All of those who suffered represent great heroes, as they prevented the terrorists from attacking many other places in Israel," said Idit Ohel.

On the same day, Minister Đurić, as the first foreign official, also visited Kibbutz Beeri in southern Israel.

Kibbutz Beeri was one of the first kibbutzim attacked by Hamas in 2022.