Captain Omer Maxim Neutra, the 21-year-old US-Israeli soldier missing since the October 7 Hamas attacks, was confirmed to have not survived the day by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday.
Israel confirmed that Cpt. Omer Neutra was not taken hostage by the retreating Hamas fighters as they suspected to date. Instead, it was his lifeless body that was taken across the border by the Gaza-based fighters after the tank platoon commander was killed in action, IDF said.
Who was Captain Omer Maxim Neutra?
Born and brought up in New York's Long Island, Neutra stalled his plans for higher education at Binghamton University to join the ranks of IDF. It was a year he spent in Israel that influenced him to join the military service despite his parents being in the US, TOI said.
Captain Neutra was attached to the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade at the time of the Hamas attack, ABC News said in a report.
Omer's parents Orna Neutra and Ronen Neutra were very vocal about the need to seal a hostage release deal with Hamas at the earliest. They had made public appearances in Washington after holding a meeting with administration officials at the White House.
How did Captain Omer Neutra die?
According to the IDF, Neutra’s death was declared by the Military Rabbinate based on fresh intelligence input. On the morning of October 7, 2023, the day of the bloody cross-border attack by Hamas fighters, Captain Omer was in charge of an IDF tank stationed near the southern community of Nahal Oz. He was guarding the strategically vulnerable area along with his crew -- Sgt. Shaked Dahan (driver), Sgt. Nimrod Cohen (gunner) and Sgt. Oz Daniel (loader)-- as Nahal Oz is situated close to the Gaza border.
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Once the assault on southern Israel began, their tank was neutralised by the Hamas fighters using an RPG and explosive devices, the Times Of Israel said in a report. Although the entire crew survived the assault, they were captured and taken to Gaza along with several other Israelis.
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Sergeant Daniel's passing was confirmed by the IDF in February while Sergeant Dahan’s death was announced in November. Now, the news of Neutra not making it across the border alive means Sergeant Nimrod is the only surviving member of the tank crew.
Israeli hostages in Gaza Strip
According to Tel Aiv, 97 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza. 109 civilians gained their freedom during a truce in November 2023. In the war that followed the attacks, eight hostages were rescued by the IDF while the bodies of 37 others were recovered.