Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee met with the families of Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, two US citizens whose bodies have been held hostage in Gaza since they were killed in the October 7, 2023, attacks.
“We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in Hamas captivity. Today I met the families of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. We will not rest until their – and all – remains are returned.” Rubio wrote in a message on X.
He included a photo of himself and Huckabee sitting with the families.
Huckabee also reported on the meeting, saying Rubio’s visit to Israel was “very productive in advancing” the US-brokered Gaza peace plan. However, he added that “[before the] plan can work, ALL hostages must be released!”
PARENTS OF KILLED US-ISRAELI HOSTAGE FEAR OF LOSSING THEIR SON FOREVER AS HAMAS DOES NOT RETURN
The parents of dual US-Israeli citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. (The Chen family)
Ruby Chen also met with Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, as well as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, during their recent visit to Israel.
“After all the work President Trump and his administration have done, they deserve to get Americans back,” Ronen Neutra said, referring to his son and Itay Chen. “We deserve to get our sons back and get our closure and deal with the grieving process, something we’ve been putting off for the past two years.”
Ronen Neutra also expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for its efforts to end the war and get all hostages – living and deceased – home.
The bodies of US citizens Itay Chen, left, and Omer Neutra, right, have not yet been returned to Israel by Hamas. (The Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
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All living hostages have now left Gaza, but the remains of thirteen deceased hostages have not been returned by Hamas. The Israeli government has reiterated its call for Hamas to return the remains of all hostages.
Neutra and Chen’s parents were vocal supporters of the release of the living and deceased hostages. In July 2024, Neutra’s parents spoke at the Republican National Convention, while Chen’s parents spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August 2024. They have also met with people around the world, including several officials, as they fight to get their sons back.
A drone shot shows a gathering of hostage families and supporters at the “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 18, 2025. (Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters)
Chen, a 19-year-old dual US-Israeli citizen, was initially believed to have been kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, while serving along the Gaza border, but was later declared dead by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). His body is still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Neutra, 21, a fellow American-Israeli from New York, was killed in battle that same day and his body remains in captivity.
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