Taken captive: Alon Ohel, pianist’s family recorded song for him
Musician, 22, a fan of jazz musician Avishai Cohen, was at the Supernova desert rave on October 7
Alon Ohel, 22, was taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, as they waged a multi-pronged attack in Israel’s south, killing around 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages to Gaza.
Ohel, a talented pianist, went to the Supernova desert rave with several friends, reaching the party at 5:30 a.m., an hour before the Hamas attack began.
They tried to escape in their car, but had to turn around as the gunmen were shooting from every direction.
The friends ran to a field shelter, where Ohel last texted his family at 8:08 a.m.
It appeared to be the same field shelter where Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Aner Shapira took cover and where the terrorists threw in grenades tossed back by Shapira, who was then killed by a final grenade blowing up in his hand.
Ohel was witnessed being taken hostage by the terrorists. His phone fell and was picked up by one of the survivors, who then brought it to Soroka Hospital.
The army later confirmed that Ohel was taken hostage to Gaza.
Ohel’s brother, Ronen, also a musician, reached out to jazz musician Avishai Cohen, asking to record his song, “Shuvi Elay,” (Return to Me), knowing how music connects them as brothers. Cohen came to the family home and recorded the song with Ohel’s family and friends.
Ohel’s family live in Lavon, a community in Galilee. They brought a yellow piano to the Hostages Plaza in Tel Aviv, representing the hope that he will return. Visitors are invited to play the piano and send love and strength.
