The Israeli army mentioned Monday that Omer Neutra, a twin American Israeli citizen who was serving within the Israeli Protection Forces throughout Hamas’ assault on Oct. 7, 2023, died that day.
The 21-year-old was beforehand thought to have been taken hostage, sparking hope he would possibly in the future come dwelling alive together with the roughly 100 different individuals believed to nonetheless be in Hamas’ captivity.
It’s unclear why the Israeli army kept away from clarifying that Neutra was deceased till right now, with Israeli Protection Minister Israel Katz writing on social media that Neutra “fell in a heroic battle” on Oct. 7.
Neutra’s mother and father, Ronen and Orna Neutra, advised CNN final week they’d hoped the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon would possibly result in progress on the same settlement with Hamas and the discharge of their son.
“We have seen that attention both in Israel and around the world was taken from the war in Gaza to the war in Lebanon in the last four or five months, and that was a concern to us,” Ronen Neutra mentioned. “But at the same time, we are disappointed that it was not combined with a hostage deal, which is really the most urgent element right now. We consider it a missed opportunity.”
NurPhoto through Getty Pictures
The 2 additionally visited President Joe Biden on the White Home lower than a month in the past, the place presumably they made the same plea.
Biden paid tribute to Omer Neutra, a Lengthy Island native, in an announcement Monday, saying he and first woman Jill Biden had been “devastated and outraged” to be taught of Neutra’s dying.
“Less than a month ago, Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they’ve endured as they prayed for the safe return of their son — pain no parent should ever know,” Biden mentioned. “They told me how Omer’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors and how their family’s strength and resilience has been carried through the generations.”
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“During this dark hour — as our nation joins Omer’s parents, brother, and family in grieving this tragic loss — we pray to find strength and resilience,” he continued. “And to all the families of those still held hostage: We see you. We are with you. And I will not stop working to bring your loved ones back home where they belong.”
