Captain Neutra’s parents, Orna and Ronen, along with his brother Daniel, had been active in advocating for the return of hostages and fallen soldiers for over a year.
By IDF Club Staff
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on December 1 that Captain Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old tank commander, was killed during Hamas’s assault on October 7, 2023.
Previously believed to be held alive, his body remains in Gaza.
Captain Neutra, a native of Long Island, New York, left home to serve in the IDF as a lone soldier, a decision that reflected his deep commitment to Zionist ideals. Despite not being obligated to serve in the military, Neutra decided to enlist soon after completing his high school studies.
Instead of attending college, he elected to come to Israel to attend a military preparatory school before enlisting in the IDF.
“Omer grew up in the U.S. and at the age of 18 came to Israel for a preparatory year. He was accepted to study at a university in the U.S., but made a decision that he wanted to enlist and served in the Tank Corps,” his mother Orna said. “He was on duty on October 7 and we spoke with him on Friday afternoon after a very difficult month of work he had on the border. Omer said he expected a relatively quiet Saturday with the soldiers, and of course a few hours later we were about to go to bed. We always checked what was happening in Israel before going to sleep.”
Serving in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade, Neutra held the role of a tank platoon commander.
On October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack, Neutra and his three crew members — Nimrod Cohen, Shaked Dahan, and Oz Daniel — were in a tank stationed at an outpost adjacent to the Gaza border when it was hit by RPGs and explosive devices.
After months of extensive investigation, including reviews by a special military commission comprised of rabbis, scientists, and legal experts, the IDF recently determined Neutra’s death.
The findings, based on new intelligence, dispelled earlier hopes that he was alive and being held captive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended condolences to Neutra’s family, describing him as “a man of values, blessed with talents, and a Zionist in every sense of the word.”
Netanyahu affirmed the government’s commitment to recovering Neutra’s body for a Jewish burial and pledged to continue efforts to bring back all captives and missing individuals. “Israel will not rest or be silent until we return him home for a Jewish burial,” he stated.
Captain Neutra’s parents, Orna and Ronen, along with his brother Daniel, have been active in advocating for the return of hostages and fallen soldiers.
At a recent rally in New York, they urged U.S. leaders, including President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, to collaborate in addressing the ongoing crisis. “Seize the moment, work together, before January. It can be a moment that unites us all,” they said.
The family’s advocacy highlights the dual identity Neutra embodied—an American by birth and an Israeli by choice. His mother, reflecting on a march held in Manhattan to mark his 21st birthday, noted the powerful support of friends and community members who gathered to honor him. “It was an event that testified to his character, only he was missing,” she said.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum added: “Omer loved sports, played soccer, basketball and volleyball, and was the captain of sports teams at his school. His family and friends testified to a warm, optimistic and people-loving person who ‘lights up the room as soon as he enters it.’”
As Israel continues its efforts to recover all hostages and fallen soldiers, Captain Omer Neutra’s legacy endures as a symbol of courage, dedication, and the enduring bond between the global Jewish community and the State of Israel.
