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The Israeli military said Omer Maxim Neutra, an American-Israeli citizen previously believed to be alive and held hostage in Gaza, was killed during Attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Neutra, 21, was serving as a tank platoon commander in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the attack, the IDF said, adding that Neutra’s body is still being held hostage in Gaza.
It is unclear what prompted the IDF to make such an announcement. In previous cases where a hostage was pronounced dead, the finding was based on new intelligence and evidence.
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“Omer loved sports, playing soccer, basketball, and volleyball, and was the captain of his school’s sports teams,” read a statement from the Forum of Hostages and Missing Families. “Family and friends have described him as a warm, optimistic and caring person who ‘lights up a room as soon as he walks in.'”
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that Neutra “fell in the heroic battle of Nir Oz on October 7.” Nir Oz, a small kibbutz near Gaza in southern Israel, was one of the communities hardest hit by the October 7 terror attacks, with one in four residents killed or kidnapped.
Neutra’s parents Ronen and Orna Neutra spoke to CNN last week, describing the pain of celebrating a second Thanksgiving without their son at the table.
Believing Omar to be alive, they said they hoped the cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon could serve as a “time to refocus” on securing his release.
“We’ve seen the attention both in Israel and around the world shift from the war in Gaza to the war in Lebanon in the last four or five months, and that worries us,” said Ronen Neutra.
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“But at the same time, we’re disappointed that it wasn’t combined with the hostage deal, which is really the most pressing element at this point. We see that as a missed opportunity.”
Neutra was one of seven American citizens detained in Gaza. Four, including Neutra, were pronounced dead.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement on Monday that he and First Lady Jill Biden were “heartbroken and outraged” following the announcement of Neutra’s death.
“Less than a month ago, Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they endured as they prayed for their son’s safe return — pain no parent should know,” Biden wrote in a statement. .
“During this dark hour – as our nation joins Omer’s parents, brother and family in mourning this tragic loss – we pray that we find strength and resilience. And to all the families of those still held hostage: We see you. We stand with you. And I will not stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong,” the president added.
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‘Devastating’ news
The announcement of Neutra’s death caused an outpouring of grief from Israeli officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him “a person of great values, rich talents and a Zionist in every part of his being.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who has met with Neutra’s family several times, described the news of his death as “devastating”.
“Omer was born and raised in the United States and decided to (come) to Israel and enlist in the IDF to stand in defense of our people,” Herzog said.
According to Israeli authorities, Hamas is holding 101 hostages in Gaza – 97 kidnapped on October 7, 2023 and four more kidnapped before that. Israel has now confirmed that at least 37 hostages are dead. Among the hostages are 13 women and two children under the age of five, according to authorities.
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