US Secretary of State Vows to Bring Home Deceased Hostages in Gaza
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: During his visit to Israel on Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged his commitment to ensuring the return of the remains of all deceased hostages being held in Gaza. He made this promise while meeting with the families of two American captives.
Rubio expressed his sentiments on social media, stating, “We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in the captivity of Hamas.” He met with the families of Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, affirming that the search for their remains—and those of all other hostages—will continue until everyone is brought home.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli advocacy group, expressed appreciation for Rubio’s comments. They emphasized the urgency of bringing home the thirteen remaining hostages and thanked the Secretary of State for his support. “Please don’t stop – until the last hostage is released,” they urged.
Itay Chen was a dual citizen of Israel and the US, serving as a sergeant in the Israeli army. He was stationed near the Gaza border when Hamas and its allies launched an attack on October 7, 2023. His death was confirmed in March 2024, five months later, revealing that he lost his life in combat and that his body was taken to Gaza.
Omer Neutra, also a US-Israeli national, was a volunteer soldier killed on the same day. He had moved to Israel from New York and enlisted in the army to experience his heritage, as his mother, Orna Neutra, recounted to AFP.
A ceasefire that was brokered by the US on October 10 led to the release of all 20 living hostages by Palestinian authorities. Additionally, the remains of 15 deceased hostages have been returned to Israel, but the bodies of another 13 individuals still remain in Gaza.
As a part of the exchange, Israel released nearly 2,000 prisoners, the majority of whom were Palestinians, along with several deceased bodies of other Palestinians. While this ceasefire has generally reduced hostilities, recent airstrikes by Israel have reportedly resulted in casualties in Gaza, according to health officials in the area. Israel stated that the airstrikes were a response to an attack that claimed the lives of two of its soldiers, although they have since reinforced the ceasefire agreement.
