During the battle on October 7, Chen fought alongside his tank crew with extraordinary courage.
By The IDF Club
Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, a 19-year-old dual U.S.–Israeli citizen and the final American hostage held by Hamas, has been returned from Gaza to Israel for burial, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed Tuesday night.
The IDF said the National Institute for Forensic Medicine, working with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, completed the identification process, after which Chen’s family was officially notified.
Chen served in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade and was killed during the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Kibbutz Nahal Oz. His tank was struck in battle, and his body was abducted into Gaza. His death was officially confirmed on March 10, 2024.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Chen’s family overnight, offering his condolences on behalf of himself, his wife, and the people of Israel. The prime minister expressed his support and assured the family that Israel would continue working tirelessly to bring home all remaining hostages who were killed or missing.
Chen’s parents, Ruby and Hagit, thanked the IDF, security forces, and the prime minister for returning their son to Israel for burial. During the conversation, they urged the government to continue efforts to retrieve all hostages held by Hamas. Netanyahu reaffirmed that the effort is ongoing and that he is determined to bring all fallen hostages home for a proper burial in Israel.
Born in the United States but raised in Netanya, Chen frequently visited his father’s hometown of New York. He is remembered as fun, energetic, and kind, a central figure in his family.
On October 7, he had been scheduled to be off duty, having swapped weekends with another soldier to attend his brother’s bar mitzvah the following week. His plans for a beautiful life were tragically interrupted by the Hamas invasion.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Chen’s life following the return of his remains. “The remains of Itay Chen, a young American taken hostage by Hamas at just 19 years old, have finally returned home,” Rubio wrote on X. “We honor his life, mourn his loss, and stand with his family.”
During the battle on October 7, Chen fought alongside his tank crew with extraordinary courage. Staff Sergeant Tomer Leibovitz was killed in the fight, while Captain Daniel Peretz was later returned for burial and Staff Sergeant Matan Engerest was freed from captivity after more than two years.
Chen is survived by his parents, Ruby and Hagit, and his two brothers, Roy and Alon.
Chen sacrificed his life to protect his land and his nation, and his return reaffirms the IDF’s commitment to bringing home all those taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack.
