Djuric: Serbia stands with Alon Ohel, we call for his immediate release

Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marko Djuric, has called for the immediate release of Alon Ohel, an Israeli and Serbian citizen who is being held captive in Gaza.

"Today marks 493 days since Israeli and Serbian citizen Alon Ohel, whose family is of Serbian origin, has been lying in a dungeon at the bottom of a tunnel in Gaza, captured and chained. We demand, appeal, and plead for Alon to be released without delay and returned to his mother, father, brothers, and sisters," Djuric said in a video statement.

As he added, when Alon was taken captive, he was not a member of the armed forces but a pianist who had gone to a music festival with his friends.

"Two weeks later, he was supposed to visit his family in Serbia. Unfortunately, he never made it here, 493 days have passed without him seeing the sun or his loved ones. Those who were imprisoned with him have been reduced to mere shadows of their former selves and have shared harrowing stories of what they endured during their captivity. Today, on this very day, Alon would have turned 24 in freedom. Instead, he is spending his birthday in chains, without food, without medical care, despite being seriously wounded in captivity," the head of Serbian diplomacy said, reiterating his appeal:

"I urge everyone who can help, I appeal to those holding Alon, and I call on the entire international community to do everything in their power to ensure this young man is released, reunited with his family, and that international humanitarian law and human decency prevail in this case. Serbia stands with Alon, with his family, and with all those who have suffered in this tragic conflict. We plead for his freedom," Djuric concluded.