Orna and Ronen Neutra, parents of Lt. Omer Neutra z”l — an IDF soldier and American citizen who was kidnapped and murdered by Hamas — spoke with pain and hope at the Jerusalem Conference in New York.
“Omer was a New Yorker,” said Orna. “He was born here, raised here, and marched with us every year in the Celebrate Israel Parade. This year’s march was emotional, but heartbreaking, because he wasn’t there with us.”
Omer Neutra, a product of Jewish education in New York, chose to leave everything behind and enlist in the IDF as a lone soldier.
“He was accepted to colleges like any American teen, but he wanted to serve first — to serve the Jewish state,” said his father, Ronen.
“He joined a pre-army program in northern Israel, fell in love with the people and the place, and from there, became a combat officer.”
On October 7th, Omer was commanding a tank crew at an outpost near the Gaza border, known as “The White House.”
“They were among the first to respond — the tank was hit by an RPG and caught fire. The driver was killed, three crew members were kidnapped — and for 421 days, Omer was listed as missing,” Orna described.
“Only after more than a year, we received intelligence indicating he had been killed in captivity on the day of the attack,” the parents added.
They held a shiva — without a body.
“Our rabbi told us: even if there’s no burial, people will come. And indeed, thousands came — in Israel and in the U.S.”
Throughout the mourning period, the Neutras tirelessly engaged with the U.S. government: “As American-Israelis, we knew we had a mission. We opened doors in Washington and pressed the administration and Congress to act on behalf of the American hostages — and from day one, we were met with responsiveness.”
They praised President Trump for securing the release of Idan Alexander, a lone soldier who served alongside Omer: “They were both lone soldiers — Omer from New York, Idan from New Jersey. They served together. Idan came back — and Omer didn’t. We hope to bring them all home.”
Reflecting on Israeli society, they said: “From the moment we landed, we saw how much love and unity there is. People hold prayer ceremonies, weekly runs, unity events. Our family initiated a weekly evening at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv — songs and prayers for the hostages.”
Orna concluded with a heartfelt plea: “Bringing them all back is not a political issue — it’s a people’s issue. It’s about mothers. It’s about fathers. Even one more day — is one day too many.”
