On the morning of December second, 2024, the Israeli Defense Forces announced that hostage Omer Neutra Z”L, previously presumed alive and held hostage in Gaza, has been dead since October 7, 2023. Hamas is still believed to be in possession of his body.

Neutra was an American-Israeli dual citizen who lived in Long Island, NY, with his parents and younger brother Daniel. He attended the Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island and planned on studying at Binghamton University following his service in the IDF as a tank platoon commander.  

The 21-year-old was one of the first to respond to the October 7 attacks risking his life to help the besieged Kibbutz Nir Oz. When his tank was lit on fire by terrorists, he was forced to exit and was subsequently killed in battle and taken into Gaza from near Kibbutz Nir Oz, becoming the fourteenth American hostage. 

Neutra was described by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as “a person of great values, rich in talents, and a Zionist in every fiber of his being.” 

As for the other hostages, the news begs the question of what state they are in. While on the phone with the mother of hostage Edan Alexander, Netanyahu described that following the situation in Lebanon, the conditions are “ripe” to bring home the hostages. 

May the memory of Omer Neutra be a blessing and never forgotten.