On the third day of their stay in Israel, journalists who are visiting this country spoke with H. E. Minister of Diaspora Affairs in Israel, Mr. Amihai Shikli, who emphasized the determination of the State of Israel to deal with Hamas once and for all, asserting that there is no return to the status quo. He pointed out that Israel’s security is threatened by Hezbollah, a militant group that is more numerous and much better armed than Hamas, as well as by Iran, which, according to Shikli, is the initiator of the conflict and the massacre of October 7, 2023.
The journalists also spoke with the family members of Alon Ohel, a man who has citizenship of both Serbia and Israel. Alon was abducted from the shelter where he had been hiding when Hamas terrorists attacked the participants of the festival in the Nagev desert. In the poignant testimony of his mother, Idit, media representatives could hear that Alon managed to throw out several bombs from the shelter and thereby save many lives, before he was overpowered and kidnapped. Since then, the family has had no contact with him, with the hope that Alon, like the other hostages, will be released.
Furthemore, media representatives are familiar with the case of the kidnapping of the Katz family. Namely, mother Doron and two daughters Raz and Aviv were kidnapped, and Doron’s mother was killed by Hamas terrorists. Husband and father Joni Katz does not lose hope that they will be released, but he struggles with the knowledge that his loved ones have been kidnapped and taken to Gaza, and that the question is whether and when he will see them.
Later in the day, journalists and representatives of IPESE visited the center of the families of the abductees, which is located in the center of Tel Aviv. The center’s motto is “Bring them back home”. The center gathers volunteers who help in various areas, provides legal, medical and psychological support to the families of the abductees, organizes activities aimed at raising the awareness of the world public and introducing them to the tragedy that Israeli society is going through.
Apart from the testimony of the families, the installations in the square are especially poignant, symbolizing the tragedy, brutality and bestiality of the terrorists, but also the hope that the hostages will return alive. A Shabbat table has been set up in a square in downtown Tel Aviv for the abductees who will not be with their families.
The journalists also talked with the future ambassador of Israel to Serbia, Mrs. Avivit Bar Ilan. During the conversation, she expressed her satisfaction that she will be ambassador to the Republic of Serbia, and that she will have the opportunity to work on deepening the ties between Serbia and Israel. She began her preparations for the new position by intensively learning the Serbian language. The father of future ambassador Bar Ilan was born in Pancevo, which is why, according to her, she feels a strong connection with Serbia.
At the end of today’s activities, there was a meeting with the legendary Mossad director and Serjet Matkal unit member, Mr. Dani Yalom, who spoke about the state of the security services and Israel’s determination to face the security challenges facing this country.
