Israeli American soldier thought to be held hostage in Gaza was killed on Oct 7, Israel says
Omer Maxim Neutra was a New Yorker who immigrated to Israel “out of a deep sense of mission,” according to the country's foreign minister, Israel Katz
An Israeli American soldier thought to have been held hostage in Gaza was killed during the Hamas-led attack on October 7 last year. The Israeli military said on Monday that Omer Maxim Neutra, who served as a tank platoon commander in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the time of the devastating attack, was killed near Nir Oz, a small kibbutz near Gaza in southern Israel.
Israeli American soldier Omer Maxim Neutra was killed on Oct 7
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, addressed Neutra's death in a statement shared on X, formerly Twitter Monday. Expressing his grief over the young soldier's passing, Katz wrote, “I would like to send my deepest condolences to the parents of the late Captain Omar Nautra (sic), Ronan and Orna, his family and friends.”
Neutra was a New Yorker who immigrated to the foreign country “out of a deep sense of mission,” according to the Israeli lawmaker's tweet as translated by X. Katz further revealed that the 21-year-old “fell in a heroic battle near Nir Oz on October 7, 2023 and was kidnapped to the Gaza Strip by of the Hamas murderers.”
“The story of Omar's life and dedication represent the good and strong in our nation. A fighter who stood bravely in the battle for tank number 3 and sacrificed his life for the security of the State of Israel against the worst of our enemies,” Katz went on.
The foreign minister issued a declaration on “behalf of the State of Israel” to the families of the late soldier and other hostages. “I would like to say on behalf of the State of Israel - the return of the abductees is our most important mission and we will do everything to fulfill it,” Katz vowed, adding, “Omar will remain engraved in the heart of the nation forever. May his memory be blessed.”