Long Island residents honor hostages to mark 2 years since Hamas' attack on Israel
PLAINVIEW, Long Island (WABC) -- Two years after the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, every day remains a struggle for the parents of 21-year-old Omer Neutra as they continue the agonizing wait for his remains to be returned.
In Plainview, Long Island, a flag flies at half-staff, and 200 smaller ones hover a lawn, an amount symbolic of the 254 faces of kidnapped hostages on October 7.
"This wall was put up immediately after October 7, 2023, to remind the entire community that there was a war going on in Israel, that there are people suffering," Rick Lewis, CEO of Mid Island Y JCC.
The only American-born Long Islander in the hostage group was 21-year-old Capt. Omer Neutra, a member of the IDF who was killed by the terrorist group Hamas shortly after the attacks in Gaza.
Neutra grew up in Plainview.
"Omer Neutra has become a friend to everybody and it's very sad that his family has to still be going through this," Lewis said.
Lewis runs the Mid Long Island Y JCC, the site of a large Sunday gathering to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the attacks by Hamas.
Neutra's parents Ronen and Orna attended with hopes of getting their son's body back for burial.
So did hundreds of marchers from across Long Island, with a group called "Run For Our Lives," which is determined to keep walking for the 48 hostages that remain in captivity.
"Today is 100 weeks of us walking consecutively and hopefully this is the last Sunday we need to do this," said Shira Weiss of Run For Our Lives.
On Tuesday, a street sign and a childhood playground park in Plainfield bare Capt. Neutra's name.
"To rename it after him brings a level of healing to parents that are going through a living hell trying to get their beloved son back to them for a proper burial," said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino.
Capt. Neutra's parents and younger brother are in Washington, D.C. amid peace talks in hopes of being able to get his body back.
This is all happening on the anniversary of the day of the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
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