The families of the Israeli hostages organized a march in New York City Central Park On Sunday, President Biden and President-elect Trump called for them to be brought home.
“Seize the moment, make the deal, and bring the hostages home,” a press release from the Forum for Hostages and Missing Families said.
Pictures from the rally show dozens of participants, some carrying banners with pictures of hostages, and others speaking into microphones and loudspeakers.
“Please join me for a minute, close your eyes, and imagine the emotional moment we will feel when our government seals the deal, when it releases everyone, every hostage,” Yarden Gonen, the sister of hostage Romi Gonen, said in a statement. . “And look in your eyes at the embrace we will share with our loved ones when we finally see them free from the hands of Hamas. And even for those who did not survive, I hope they are given a decent burial in Israel, and may their families find closure by Hanukkah.”
Participants in Sunday's protest in Central Park raised banners with pictures of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. (Headquarters of the Forum for Families of Hostages and Missing Persons)
Dozens of people called on lawmakers to return American hostages in the Middle East to their homeland. (Headquarters of the Forum for Families of Hostages and Missing Persons)
Weeks ago, the Israeli military announced on social media that Capt. Omar Neutra, 21, of New York was killed in action on October 7, 2023, and “his body has been held hostage in Gaza ever since.”
Before the publication of X, it was believed that Neutra was alive hostage.
Because Neutra's body is held by Hamas, he is still considered one of seven American hostages held in Gaza.
A photo of Omar Neutra is displayed at his memorial service, on December 3, 2024, at the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, New York. (AP Photo/Philip Marcelo)
“Being American has always been a big part of my identity,” Roy Chen, the brother of hostage Itai Chen, said in a statement. “We just returned from a rewarding week in Washington. The message remains the same: It will take leadership to make tough decisions. We are strong enough to make this agreement. As we rebuild our country and plan ahead for a better future, we must end the suffering of the hostages, and we must We are bringing them all home now.”
Itay Chen, a 19-year-old Israeli-American citizen, was on active duty in a tank unit on October 7, 2023. (Hostage Family Forum)
Chen, an Israeli-American citizen, was kidnapped on October 7 during an invasion by Hamas terrorists Southern Israel Hundreds were slaughtered, and the Israeli army confirmed his death in March.
Fox News's Yonat Freeling and Daniel Wallace contributed to this report.
