Serbian Ambassador on Serbia’s Role in Evacuating NBC Journalists from Gaza

Ambassador Sutanovac emphasized that Serbian diplomacy once again demonstrated its importance and how much it can contribute in the most challenging situations. When the lives of journalists and their families in Gaza were hanging by a thread, Serbia took the initiative, secured travel documents, and opened a path to safety.

This wasn’t just a routine mission – it was an act of humanity and professionalism that saved lives.

“I must admit, when NBC representatives first spoke with me, I was skeptical that Serbia could carry out such a complex and sensitive operation on the territory of another country. However, after consulting with the Serbian President’s office and the Foreign Minister, we decided to move forward. We had no idea how demanding it would be or how rewarding it would feel once it was completed,” Sutanovac told Newsmax Balkans.

Sutanovac thanked everyone involved and noted that, in addition to Serbian ambassadors in Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan, contributions also came from the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. and the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We were fully aware that this was an extremely dangerous and delicate operation. We didn’t ask whether we could do it — we launched the entire machinery, and it turned out we have the capacity to solve life-and-death issues even under such complex conditions,” he said, adding that just days later, NBC’s tent was hit in Gaza, killing journalists from other media outlets.

Five journalists and three family members — eight lives — had to undergo complicated procedures, obtain multiple countries’ approvals, and pass-through dangerous zones. Serbia coordinated every step, verified documents, and issued travel papers until final evacuation permits from Gaza were secured.

Diplomatic persistence and the readiness to act where others couldn’t showed how even a small but determined country can make a difference.

“It was difficult, especially since we weren’t physically present. Much depended on us, but the final operation went through the Israeli army. At one point, we were told that only six of the eight could be evacuated, excluding two NBC technicians,” Sutanovac said.

According to him, they endured two sleepless nights, as NBC’s top leadership debated whether to proceed with a partial evacuation.

“They were afraid that if they didn’t extract everyone, the two technicians left behind would remain at mortal risk and could never be rescued. I told them we’re not filming a movie — we’re saving lives. If we can save six, we do it. At the same time, we launched intense diplomatic activity in Washington and managed to get all eight on the list and start the evacuation,” he said.

Sutanovac mentioned there was information that one person was injured and needed a medical transport vehicle, which complicated things significantly.

Foto: Tanjug/AP/Yousef Al Zanoun

He emphasized that the Ministry of Internal Affairs also contributed by conducting a security assessment of all individuals prior to evacuation.

The path to safety was fraught with danger. The first attempt to reach Jordan was aborted due to an attack by Hamas militants. But they didn’t give up. The second attempt succeeded, and the eight people finally crossed the border.

This operation proves that courage, coordination, and diplomatic determination can save lives even in the darkest moments of war.

Maximum Efforts to Free Alon Ohel

Sutanovac emphasized that all diplomatic and consular missions are making great efforts to secure the release of Serbian citizen Alon Ohel.

“He has now spent two birthdays in captivity. He is a young man, a pianist, who had no part in any conflict in Israel. He was at a music festival and, by a tragic twist of fate, ended up in captivity. We know for certain that he is alive, and we are doing everything we can to secure his release,” Sutanovac noted.

Foto: AP/Maya Alleruzzo

This is not just a story about an evacuation — it’s a reminder that, even in a world full of danger, courage, humanity, and responsibility can change someone’s fate. Serbia once again demonstrated how powerful its diplomacy can be when lives are at stake.

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