The Tous7Octobre association, in collaboration with the parents of Alon Ohel, will install the young musician's piano at Place du Palais Royal in Paris on 26 May, with the event aiming to raise awareness of the 128 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for 227 days.
Alon Ohel, a talented 23-year-old pianist from Israel with roots in Novi Sad, Serbia, was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. Alon was attending the Nova festival when he was captured, despite his efforts to hide from the terrorists, protect himself from rockets, and evade a grenade. Since then, his family has remained hopeful, believing that sending positive energy will help all the hostages hold on until they can return home safely.
For several months, Alon's piano repainted yellow—the color symbolizing the hostages—has been displayed in Tel Aviv's Hostage Square. This location serves as a space for meditation, exchange, and information as the country rallies around the fate of the 128 individuals, 33 of whom are already considered dead by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.
Music to bring hope
From 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on 26 May, the association will host an artistic performance featuring the yellow piano. The public is invited to play a piece or pause to reflect on the portraits of the hostages, who range in age from one to eighty-six, including 18 women and two children under five.
Céline Attal, founder of Tous7Octobre, emphasizes the power of the piano as a universal medium that unites communities, stating, "We cannot write off these lives. The situation of the hostages must be a priority for all those who support peace. With the support of the families, we refuse to despair by sounding notes of solidarity."