Omer Maxim Neutra, an American-Israeli soldier, was among those killed when Hamas militants swept into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, officials said Monday.
Neutra, 21, was believed to have been taken hostage to Gaza, but the Israel Defense Forces said on Monday he was one of nearly 1,200 people killed during the surprise attack. The soldier, from New York, was a tank platoon commander in the 77th Battalion of Israel’s 7th Armored Brigade.
“Omer was a man of values, talented and a Zionist in every aspect of his being,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement released with his wife, Sara.
“He came to Israel to enlist in the IDF, chose the path of war and was chosen to command and lead.” Netanyahu said Newra, who was a captain, “fought fiercely” “until they fell” while leading Israeli forces defending communities around Gaza.
In a statement, the Newra family said they were “deeply saddened.”
“Our hearts are broken by this devastating news. The Newra family is deeply saddened and is requesting the public, who have shown great support during this visit, to respect their privacy until we can formally announce next steps,” the statement said.
Israel said it had confirmed through intelligence that Newra died during the attack and that his body is still being held in Gaza.
Prior to his military service, Newra had completed a preparatory year with the Tzabar Garin program, where he “loved sports, played soccer, basketball and volleyball, and served as captain of his school’s sports teams,” according to the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.
“Family and friends described him as a warm, optimistic and caring person who ‘lights up the room as soon as he enters it,'” the Forum said in a statement posted on social media on Monday.
Neutra’s parents, Orna and Ronen, spoke at the Republican National Convention in July. They told the crowd about their grief, not knowing for more than nine months “whether your son is alive or not.” “We need our beautiful son back,” Ronen Neutra said.
“And we need your support — your support to end this crisis and bring all the hostages back home.” Netanyahu said Monday that he and his wife share the family’s “overwhelming” grief.
“We will not rest or remain silent until we return him to the grave of Israel,” he added. “And we will continue to act resolutely and tirelessly until we bring all our captives — alive and dead — back home.” Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat representing a New York congressional district, wrote on social media Monday that he was sending his condolences to Neutra’s family.
“I have prayed for Omar and her family, and I ask all of you to join me in helping the Neutra family find peace and meaning in this tragedy,” Suozzi wrote.
Three Americans are estimated to still be alive among the dozens held hostage by Hamas.
Israel President Isaac Herzog said in a statement announcing Neutra’s death, “We must fulfill the final imperative: return Omar and all our kidnapped men and women — handing over the living to their families, and laying to rest those killed and murdered.”