Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday made a state visit to Hungary at the invitation of his counterpart, Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok.
Herzog was received in a state ceremony at Heroes’ Square in Budapest. There, he was greeted by Sulyok, and the countries’ national anthems were played.
The presidents then met with the family of Omri Miran, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since being abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.
Miran is a Hungarian citizen, and a sign of life was recently received via one of the hostages who returned from captivity.
Miran’s wife Lishi told Sulyok: “We need—I need, my daughters need, and all of Israel needs—the help of every world leader like you to exert pressure so that our nightmare ends.
“Omri, who is your citizen and my husband, is [set to be released] in stage two of the [ceasefire] deal. This week or next, we hope to complete the first stage. We need you to do everything possible so that Omri is released as soon as possible. My daughters need their father,” she pleaded.
Sulyok responded: “This is self-evident, and it is the least we can do. We will do everything possible to ensure that an Israeli and Hungarian citizen—your husband, the father of your daughters—is released as soon as possible. We will continue to stand by your side. We share your hardship and pain because they are our hardships and pains as well.”
The presidents also met with Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor Aharon Shevo and his family. Shevo is the grandfather of Malkia Gross, who fell in battle in Gaza.
Malkia’s mother presented Sulyok with a commemorative stamp marking 80 years since the Holocaust of Hungarian Jewry.
