As the long-awaited cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel goes into effect, the family of murdered hostage Omer Neutra is hopeful the plan will help families like their own close a long and painful chapter in their lives.
“Of course, we waited very long for this moment. On the other hand, we still want to make sure that we’re going to get closure and start, maybe at that point, rebuilding our lives after two years,” Omer’s dad, Ronen, told The Post.
“One of those years has been thinking that Omer is alive, and the second year is not getting him and not knowing his whereabouts and whether we get him and when.”
Omer, a 21-year-old Israel Defense Forces captain from Plainview, Long Island, was kidnapped and killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 — the day Hamas launched a cowardly sneak-attack against Israel, killing over 1,200 people.
The family went 421 agonizing days without word about the fate of their son before learning of his murder.
Ronen praised President Trump, whom the family met with at the White House Tuesday afternoon for a one-on-one meeting, for brokering the historic cease-fire.
“We told him, if this happens, it’s incredible. He’s going to do the impossible,” he said.
However, the anguished father admitted the news of the deal is bittersweet and said he’s concerned about the safe retrieval of the 48 remaining hostages in Gaza — of which 20 could still be alive.
“Even though it’s a remarkable time, our story doesn’t have a happy ending, no matter what,” Ronen said. “So with that, we have very mixed feelings, and we’re still very much worried and in touch with administration officials, both here and in Israel, pressing the importance of bringing the last hostage until all of them are back.”
“There are two American Israeli deceased IDF soldiers that we feel that the American government should prioritize. Americans deserve to get their hostages.”
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