Family of hostage Omer Neutra hosts community basketball game to honor their son's 23rd birthday
NEW YORK (WABC) -- More than a year after the October 7 attacks on Israel, the family of one hostage is reminding community members about their son, who is having his second birthday in captivity.
Friends and family members came to show their support for Long Island native Omer Neutra at a community basketball game on Sunday.
"We're exhausted, absolutely. This has been a roller coaster of a year between hope and despair, and right now, negotiations are at a standstill," said Omer's mother, Orna Neutra.
The family last spoke to their son, who is in the Israeli military, just a day before Hamas attacked, claiming 1,200 lives and taking 240 hostages, including Omer.
"We're hoping he's okay, and I mean, there's a good chance he doesn't even know what day it is. He doesn't know that it's his birthday or if it is his birthday," said Daniel Neutra, Omer's brother.
Omer's family refuses to give up hope and continues to cling to their belief in miracles.
They have been working tirelessly to get their son released, talking to officials in Washington and Israel, and also leaders in the Middle East.
"He was 21 when he was taken captive. Right, it's heartbreaking, it's devastating. And it's unfathomable that a 22-year-old is spending his time in the tunnels underneath Gaza for such a long time," Orna said.
According to his family, Omer loves basketball and wore the number "24" because he idolized Kobe Bryant and was a big Knicks fan. Despite living in Israel, Omer rarely missed watching a Knicks game.
"And we were four years ago and we watched the NBA Finals always together. Whether we were together physically or apart across the ocean, we always watched NBA finals together," said Ronen Nuetra, Omer's father.
Omer's basketball teammates here at home say they are in disbelief as they wait for updates about him. One teammate, Ari Kantorowitz, says Omer was always the joyous spirit of their group, even when they were bad.
"He was our heart. He was the guy that was fighting for all of us that maybe weren't as tough. He always brought like the hope that we could win," Kantorowitz said.
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