2 years after Oct. 7 attack, Long Island family pleads for return of son's body

Parents of Omer Neutra reflect on his life

Tuesday marks two years since Hamas’ terror attack on Israel. Israeli American soldier and Long Island native Omer Neutra was one of the nearly 1,200 people killed that day. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg sat down with his parents to reflect on his life two years after his death.

LONG ISLAND - Tuesday marks two years since Hamas attacked Israel. Israeli soldier and Long Island native Omer Neutra was one of the nearly 1,200 people killed that day. Now, his family is still hoping his body will be returned home.

What we know:

For more than 700 days, Ronen and Orna Neutra have been counting how long they've been without their son. A piece of tape with a number stuck to shirts featuring Omer's face mark the days.

"I couldn't have imagined in my worst nightmare we'd be in this position two years later," said Orna Neutra, Omer's mother.

The couple went from private parents to advocates overnight after the Oct. 7 attack. For months, they made sure the world knew their son — a tank commander in the IDF — was being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

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For more than 400 days, they kept hope that Omer was still alive, until they received the devastating news.

"On Dec. 1, 2024, the intelligence received new information that dated back to Oct. 7, and based on that information, they concluded that Omer died that day in the tunnels of Hamas, because he didn't receive medical attention that he should've received," Orna said. "It's something that the mind nor the heart can accept."

Local perspective:

After the news, a memorial service was held in his honor at his family synagogue in Syosset, but his body to this day is still being held in Gaza.

"Our life is on hold," Ronen said. "We're stuck."

The Neutras say they want people to remember not just Omer’s murder, but his extraordinary life. The grandson of two Holocaust survivors felt a responsibility to defend Israel, and he did so with pride.

"Omer was very much a part of this community," Orna said. "He was a natural leader. The kids gravitated toward him."

Now, just steps away from the Neutras' home is a new basketball court that now carries his name. 

"This is where I taught him how to bike, on this court," said Ronen. "It's where we shot [our] first hoops. It's so symbolic to see his name here."

What's next:

The family plans to keep wearing Omer’s face on their shirts. They call it their uniform in what feels like a never-ending fight. They’ve met with elected officials and pleaded with leaders, yet two years later and they’re still waiting.

With a possible deal to bring home the remaining hostages on the table — 20 alive and 28 dead, including Omer — the Neutras are cautiously hopeful. 

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"Announcements are good and talks about a deal, it's all good, but we need action," said Orna. "We need them back."

"It brings a lot of hope, a lot of anticipation," said Ronen. "But we're also protecting ourselves because we've been in this spot multiple times before."

Support from their community has given the Neutras the strength to keep going, but they say there will be no closure until all hostages come home.