The families of hostages have been experiencing immense pain for seven months as they await the return of their loved ones. Together, they have formed a group dedicated to reuniting and ensuring the safety of their missing family members.
Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of 22-year-old Omer who has been held captive by Hamas since October 7, 2023, shared their heartache in an interview. They expressed their terror and despair at the abduction of their son, with no signs of life since that fateful day.
“We have definitely been terrorized, our son abducted on Oct. 7,” Ronen lamented. “We have no sign of life.”
Omer, originally from Long Island, New York, moved to Israel after high school and joined the Israel Defense Forces. Serving as a tank commander near the border, he was ambushed and taken captive, leaving his family in anguish.
“He was one of the first tanks,” Ronen explained. “If not the first one that rushed to the border. They were ambushed there.”
Ronen recalls a video of seeing Omer being dragged out, and that’s the last they’ve seen or heard from him.
The families of the hostages have united in their grief, finding solace and support in each other. They have lobbied at the United Nations, traveled with politicians to the border, and engaged with authorities to advocate for the release of their loved ones.
Sen. John Fetterman has also been involved in efforts to bring Omer and other hostages home, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. Omer’s family, who have a history of survival from the Holocaust, hold onto hope and continue to pray for his safe return.
In a message to their son, Omer’s parents urge him to stay strong, assuring him that they are doing everything in their power to bring him back.
“He knows that many people are praying for him right now,” Orna said. “He just knows that.”
“Stay strong,” Ronen said, in case his son could hear this message. “We’re coming to get you.”
