US President Joe Biden responded with sorrow to the announcement on Monday that Captain Omer Maxim Neutra, a lone soldier from the US, fell on October 7th, 2023 and that his body is being held by Hamas in Gaza.
"Our hearts are heavy today. Jill and I are devastated and outraged to learn of the death of Omer Neutra, an American citizen, whose body Hamas has apparently been holding since they killed him during their brutal terrorist attack October 7," President Biden said in an official statement published by the White House.
"Omer was just 21 years old when he was taken by Hamas. He was serving as a tank commander in an Israel Defense Forces unit that was among the first to respond to Hamas’s campaign of cruelty— risking his life to save the lives of others. A Long Island native, Omer planned to return to the United States for college. He dreamed of dedicating himself to building peace," Biden said.
He recalled, "Less than a month ago, Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they’ve endured as they prayed for the safe return of their son – pain no parent should ever know. They told me how Omer’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors and how their family’s strength and resilience has been carried through the generations."
"During this dark hour—as our nation joins Omer’s parents, brother, and family in grieving this tragic loss—we pray to find strength and resilience. And to all the families of those still held hostage: We see you. We are with you. And I will not stop working to bring your loved ones back home where they belong," Biden concluded.
Earlier, Israeli leaders expressed their deep sorrow on the announcement that Omer had been killed.
President Issac Herzog remarked: "Our hearts are with the Neutra family this morning, who, after more than a year of a determined, traumatic, and worldwide struggle, received the devastating news confirming the death of their beloved son, Captain Omer Maxim Neutra, who fell on October 7th, and his body abducted by terrorists into Gaza.
He continued: "Omer was born and raised in the United States and chose to make Aliyah to Israel and enlist in the IDF to stand in the defense of our people. After a preparatory year with the Garin Tzabar program, he served as a tank platoon commander.
"Over the past year, we had the privilege of meeting his parents, Ronen and Orna, and his brother Daniel—a strong family with extraordinary resilience, who have dedicated their lives since October 7th to doing everything in their power to bring Omer home. I extend my warmest embrace to them and to all the families of the hostages enduring this horrific ordeal."
The President concluded: "We must fulfill the ultimate imperative: to return Omer, and all our abducted men and women - the living to their families, and the fallen and murdered to be laid to rest."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: "My wife Sara and I send our condolences from the bottom of our hearts to the family of Captain Omer Neutra, a heroic tank officer, on the bitter news that he fell on October 7th.
"Omer was a man of values, talented, and a Zionist in all his limbs. He immigrated to Israel to enlist in the IDF, chose a combat track, and was chosen to command and lead.
"That is what he did when the war broke out on October 7th, 2023 when he fought fiercely in front of his soldiers to defend the communities of the Gaza envelope, until he fell.
"We share in the family's heavy mourning.
"We will not rest and we will not be silent until we bring him home to a Jewish grave, we will continue to work with determination and without rest until we bring back all of the hostages, alive and dead," Netanyahu said.