Hostage situation Herzog's key priority on arrival in Serbia

The crucial urgency of rescuing the living hostages who were hijacked from Israel to Gaza on October 7, was the key issue in the initial talks between Serbian President Aleksander Vucic and President Isaac Herzog following the latter's arrival in Belgrade on Wednesday morning.

Herzog was accompanied by Idit Ohel, whose son Alon is among the captives in Gaza. The mother, who is of Serbian background, stood with the two presidents, holding a photograph of her son following the meeting between the two heads of state.

Herzog had told Vucic about Alon Ohel who is a gifted musician who was at the Nova Music Festival, which was reduced from being a heavenly event to one of sheer hell.

Vucic was emotional in his own remarks about the hostages.

The presidents had also discussed the rising tide of antisemitism across Europe, a scourge that Vucic said was reprehensible.

Herzog comments on plane crash

In thanking him for his hospitality, Herzog also noted the plane crash that had taken place earlier in the day, in   Gaza, when a helicopter carrying a rescue team to bring an injured soldier to hospital had disintegrated and crashed, resulting in two fatalities and seven injured  - four of them seriously.  

Herzog said that that it had been a particularly painful and difficult morning for the people and State of Israel. Then speaking in broader terms, he said "We have lost dear sons of ours who have fallen in battle and in terror attacks leaving behind families whose worlds were shattered."

He also referred to the terrorist attack near Beit Elin the West Bank that had taken place that day and condemned it as "a horrific criminal act."

Herzog is due to proceed from Serbia to Albania.