Hamas released the remaining 20 living hostages to Israel on Monday, Oct. 13, marking a major shift towards peace in the region after over two years of war, but Plainview’s Omer Neutra, who is among the 28 deceased hostages held by Hamas, has yet to be given over to Israel.
Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire on Oct. 8, which involved Israeli withdrawal from agreed points within Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the living Israeli hostages being released by Hamas.
The remains of another 28 hostages who died under Hamas have yet to be returned. This includes Omer Neutra, an Israeli Defense Forces soldier who was believed to have been held captive for more than a year until it was reported he had died Oct. 7, 2023
Local leaders showed their support for the return of the living hostages under a 20-point agreement developed by the Trump Administration.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said the release of the living hostages is a step towards peace.
“I am filled with relief and joy seeing 20 hostages rejoin their families after two long years of anguish and I pray for their healing,” she said. While we celebrate their freedom, I hold in my heart the 28 families who still await the return of the remains of their loved ones.”
U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y. 3) said he is thankful for those who helped make the return of the hostages a reality.
“As we celebrate this moment, let us also pause to pray for all who have endured so much suffering, death, and destruction along the way,” he said.
Suozzi also said that he is praying for the family of Omer Neutra.
U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y., 4) said she hopes the peace agreement between Israel and Palestine will continue to be upheld.
“I’m relieved and overjoyed that after 738 days, the hostages are finally coming home and the war and suffering caused by Hamas terrorists on October 7th is over,” she said.
“I am so grateful the hostages have been returned,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said.
“We wait anxiously for the return of Nassau County’s Omer Neutra to his family,” the Republican county executive said. “Only President Trump could have pulled this off. Very grateful for his leadership.”
Eric Post, the American Jewish Committee’s Long Island regional director, said he is thrilled to see this moment come after there has been a “cloud above our heads for over two years.”
“It’s amazing to see families reunited,” he said. “It is a really joyous moment for us.
After graduating from the Schecter School of Long Island in Williston Park in 2020, Neutra spent a gap year in Israel. Upon his return, he deferred his enrollment at SUNY Binghamton to join the IDF, where he served as a platoon commander.
Neutra was stationed at the border and was believed to be held hostage until December 2024, when the IDF confirmed his death. During his funeral, he was posthumously promoted to captain
Hamas named the remains of the four deceased hostages it plans to return to Israel first, which did not include Neutra.
Future peace talks between Hamas and Israel will answer questions like, will Hamas disarm, who will govern Gaza, will the Israeli military fully withdraw from Gaza, when further hostages will be released and how Gaza will continue to be aided.
