Evgeny Kissin, hailed by the Economist as “the world’s most acclaimed classical pianist,” has a message of solidarity with a fellow musician, Alon Ohel, an Israeli who is being held captive in the dungeons of Hamas in Gaza. 

“Alon yakar (my dear), my heart is bleeding for you and for all the other hostages,” the virtuoso says in a video message shared exclusively with The New York Sun. “Unfortunately, I’m too old and not at all qualified to go and fight for your liberation,” Mr. Kissin continues, pledging continued financial support for the Israeli army so that it might “exterminate the Hamas barbarians and liberate you as soon as possible.”

Mr. Ohel, 22, was seized along with some 240 other Israelis when Hamas attacked dozens of southern Israeli communities on October 7. He was among those abducted while attending the Nova music festival. Hundreds of fellow concert goers were killed.

His mother, Idit Ohel, told NPR last month that she’s confident her son is alive, despite not having heard from him for more than three months. He last texted his family at 8:08 a.m. on that fateful day, the Times of Israel reports.

“I know that he’s alive,” she said at the time. “I know that he’s alive because he was taken alive, and I know that he’s alive because I’m a mother.”

Mr. Kissin, who was born in Russia and has been ranked among the top 25 pianists of all time, became an Israeli citizen in 2013. He’s long been a vocal supporter of the Jewish state. On October 9, just days after the attack in Israel, Mr. Kissin released another video message from an empty Berlin Philharmonic Hall.

In the short, forceful clip, Mr. Kissin says that “scoundrels of all types have lost all restraint completely” and that “Hitler’s ideological followers, Hamas, have not learned the lessons of history.” In a message posted alongside the clip, Mr. Kissin adds, “Hamas’s followers of Hitler are again trying to destroy my people, but I have no doubt that this time we will win. Israel lives and will live!” 

Late last month, another pianist, Odelia Eliazarov Seve, dedicated a performance at Tel Aviv to Mr. Ohel. Earlier, a jazz musician, Avishai Cohen, recorded a song at the family’s home in support of Mr. Ohel. More recently, a yellow piano was set up at New York’s Washington Square Park to raise awareness for Mr. Ohel’s plight. 

In his latest video message directed at Mr. Ohel, Mr. Kissin concludes, “Please know that my, my family’s and my friends’ prayers are with you.”