The IDF has cleared for publication that Sergeant Itay Chen from Netanya, was murdered on October 7th and his body is being held by Hamas.
Chen, aged 19 when he fell, served as a combat soldier in the 75th Battalion of the Saar Hagolan (7th) formation.
The body of Chen, a US citizen, was stolen from the Nahal Oz base in the Gaza envelope where he served.
He contacted his family on the morning of the massacre at 6:30 and updated them that a war had broken out and since then contact was lost.
After two days of being classified as missing, the family was notified that he was abducted to Gaza with his peers, but they were not told if he was taken alive.
His family even met with President Biden during the first week of the war.
One election day last week, his mother, Hagit, came to the polling station where he was registered to vote. "Itay was supposed to vote here today, to exercise his democratic right. But Itay is being held in Hamas captivity for 144 days and can not exercise his democratic rights. I call on the entire people of Israel to be unified today and to choose the hostages," the mother stated.
"My Itay turned 20 this month, and we can not celebrate his birthday with him this month. We are waiting for him at home," she added.
She concluded: "We call on the nation of Israel to come with us on a march from Gaza to Jerusalem and to support Itay's return and the return of all of the hostages. All those who are alive, and those who are not - to bring them to an honorable burial in Israel."