Family of Israeli hostage Alon Ohel holds yellow piano concert near Philly to push for his release
His release would be music to their ears.The family of a classically trained Israeli pianist who was kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct.7 attacks is staging a heartfelt “yellow piano” concert near Philadelphia to push for him and other hostages to be set free.“They need to be brought home alive,” said Idit Ohel, whose son, Alon Ohel, was kidnapped by the terrorist group.“When [musicians] play the yellow pianos … they’re giving part of themselves to Alon and the other hostages — and making sure they’re not forgotten,” said Ohel, of Lavon, Israel.Alon’s family first set up a yellow piano — the color of hostage reminder ribbons — in Tel Aviv, urging people to play with “empathy” for those kidnapped.The concerts, which highlight Alon’s passion for music, have since lit up public spaces from Washington Square Park in New York City to Paris, Berlin and London.Alon, 24, was at the Nova Music Festival on rural land near the Gaza border on Oct.
7, 2023, when Hamas attacked the event with rockets and gunfire — killing at least 340 people, Israeli authorities said.Alon and his friends fled to a nearby bomb shelter, where terrorists took him and three others hostage, according to authorities.There is violent footage of terrorists dragging him away alive from the roadside shelter, and he has not been heard from since.On Sunday, his family said recently released hostages revealed that Alon is alive, but is injured and not receiving the care he needs, according to the Times of Israel.Even before this news, the family organized the concert for Feb.
23 in the Philadelphia area to keep attention on him because there are still at least 65 of hostages who aren’t part of the “Phase One” hostage release agreement, said his cousin, Benjamin Mittman, who lives outside Philly.“It’s important to keep their names in the forefront, they need to be brought home, regardless of politics, and that’s the purpose of holding this event,” Mittman said...