Memorial service held for Long Island native, IDF soldier killed by Hamas
SYOSSET, Long Island (WABC) -- A memorial service was held Tuesday morning for the Long Island native who was killed while fighting in Israel during the October 7th attack.
Omer Neutra, originally from Plainview, Long Island, was remembered after the news of his death broke early Monday. His family held out that he was still alive for a staggering 14 months.
Meanwhile, his body is still being held in Gaza and it is unclear when his remains will be sent home.
Neutra, who is the grandson of Holocaust survivors, has become the 14th American hostage to be killed by Hamas.
He was just 21 years old at the time of his death. The Plainview native commanded a four-man tank crew as they rushed to defend a community under siege by terrorists. But that tank broke down and was eventually overrun.
On Tuesday at the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, his mother said he was fulfilling his true love for the Israeli land and the people.
"And now things are clear, but not as we hoped, and your void...a big hole in my stomach," Orna Neutra said. "Our beautiful Omer, so much love and goodness and chesed, were committed in your name."
"You were my best friend, you made me who I am, thank you for everything, laila tov," his brother Daniel Neutra said.
Many dignitaries and politicians attended the memorial service, including Gov. Kathy Hochul who spoke with the family privately after the memorial.
The 21-year-old was promoted posthumously from lieutenant to captain.
Before the news of Neutra's death, his parents had circled the globe demanding a cease-fire and a return of the hostages.
Despite the death of their loved one, the Neutra family is still advocating for the release of others still being held by Hamas.
"Sadly, time has run out to bring Omer home alive and words alone have no power to comfort. Leadership will only be revealed in actions and results going forward," the family said in a statement.
While the community held out hope for 14 months, news of Neutra's death still came as a shock to many.
"We believed one thing and come to find out it's another and that's so much of the difficulty that we're having to process," Rabbi Elizabeth Zeller, of Temple Chaverim, said. "To know that this whole time we were hoping and praying only to have that really shattered."
"He was taken from us too early, murdered by terrorists with hateful intent to kill the people of Israel," said a friend of Neutra. "We must fight for the release of his body along with the remaining 100 hostages immediately."
President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump both sent condolences to the family and have vowed to bring hostages back.
Hochul has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff across the state.
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