A short time ago (Monday), a special visit by Stefan Seibert, the German ambassador to Israel, ended at the headquarters of the families for the return of the abductees and missing in Tel Aviv. The meeting is a preparatory meeting ahead of the arrival of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tomorrow for a solidarity visit to Israel. During his visit, the Chancellor is expected to meet with representatives of the families of the abductees and missing persons with German citizenship.
During a visit to the families' headquarters, Ambassador Seibert said that the massacre carried out by Hamas in the southern settlements on Saturday could not but be compared to the darkest events in the history of the German people.
Will come for a solidarity visit. Chancellor Scholz and Prime Minister Netanyahu (archive), photo: GettyImages
During the visit to the family headquarters, Ambassador Seibert met with Yarden and Daria Gonen, sisters of Romi Gonen, 23, who is held captive by Hamas.
Jordan shared with Ambassador Seibert: "Our sister is missing, at this stage we hope she is kidnapped. The last time we spoke to her was on Saturday morning, she called our mother and said shots had been fired in her direction. We are optimistic, and we feel that everyone is contributing and helping the effort to bring her back."
Prime Minister Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Blinken at the end of their meeting at the Kirya in Tel Aviv // Omer Meron / GPO
Ambassador Seibert replied: "You say you're optimistic – don't lose hope. We will help in the campaign of persuasion for the release of the abductees and missing persons, our Chancellor will repeat it publicly tomorrow. This effort is very Israeli, it's one of the things that makes you fall in love with this country, even as a foreigner."
The ambassador clarified that Germany is not in direct contact with Hamas, but will assist in public relations efforts for the release of the hostages: "Even in Israel, which is already accustomed to the horrors of terror, this is an attack of a kind that we have not seen before. It's also an attack of a kind we haven't seen in the world. I know it's not enough, but Germany will be part of any diplomatic effort to return the missing."
Ambassador Seibert also reported that Chancellor Scholz would meet tomorrow with the families of the missing Germans and join the call on Hamas to release the abductees and arrange humanitarian aid and medicine until their release. "That's what we can do. We can make sure that these pictures, these names, these stories, do not become footnotes of this terrible war. To make sure that they are in everyone's hearts, that everyone knows that there are about two hundred people we want to come back safe and sound."
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