Remains of Omer Neutra, American-Israeli soldier from Plainview, returned to Israel, Trump says

The body of Plainview-raised American-Israeli soldier Omer Neutra, who was killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, has been returned to Israel, President Donald Trump said on Sunday night.

Neutra's was one of the three bodies returned by Hamas on Sunday, Trump told reporters.

Neutra, who was 21 when he was killed, joined the Israeli army after graduating from the Schechter School of Long Island, a day school in Williston Park, where he was an honors student, the captain of his basketball, soccer and volleyball teams and highly active in several Jewish community organizations.

"I spoke to his parents," Trump said of Ronen and Orna Neutra. "They're thrilled, in one sense, but in another sense, obviously not too great. But we're very happy. We have three. We got three bodies back today. ... We're looking for the remainder."

Efforts to reach the Neutras, who have been in Israel, on Sunday night were not immediately successful. The Instagram account Bring Omer Home, which is linked to the family, confirmed Neutra's body was returned "for burial in the land of Israel. May Omer's memory be a blessing. May his family be comforted among all who mourn."

Hamas and other groups killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attacks, according to the Israeli government. The number of Palestinians killed by Israel’s ground and air campaign has exceeded 68,800, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

A ceasefire took effect last month.

With the return of Neutra and two others, eight deceased captives remain in Gaza, including Itay Chen. Chen, 19, is the only remaining dual U.S.-Israeli national whose body has yet to be returned.

In an interview with Newsday last month following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Orna Neutra described the importance of bringing Omer's body home and providing him with a proper burial, noting that in Jewish tradition, "you don't just leave the body. You're supposed to bury it almost immediately."

The grieving mother said in the interview that the wait for the return of her son's remains had been "surreal" and that the families of those who lost loved ones in the attacks need "closure. They need that place to be able to mourn. The family needs that. We can't put this behind us."

For more than a year, the Neutras held onto hope that Omer, who was originally believed to have been held hostage after the Oct. 7 attacks, would be found alive and released.

But last December, Israeli defense officials said Omer had been killed during the attacks while serving as a tank platoon commander and that his body remained in Hamas custody.

On Sunday. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), whose district includes Plainview, posted on X that "this is the end of a bitter chapter for the Neutra family. I pray that they can find some peace. We, as their friends and neighbors, can never forget what happened to their son, and what they have been through."

Gov. Kathy Hochul, in an X post, added: "Omer’s loved ones have advocated fiercely for him and now, his body has finally been returned for proper burial. May his memory be a blessing."

Newsday's Laura Figueroa Hernandez contributed to this story.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.