Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of slain hostage Capt. Omer Neutra, who was killed during the October 7 massacre, voiced their criticism of Israel’s decision to resume strikes in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
"It has been concluded that the only way to pressure Hamas is through military action, and we are not at all sure that this is the right path," they said.
"We know that even if the IDF believes it knows where the hostages are, there is a real chance that it actually does not. Our fear, and that of other families of fallen captives, is that their [the hostages'] whereabouts will be lost, and there will be total destruction, making it impossible to recover the remains of our loved ones," they added.
The couple attended the annual Ruderman Program for American Jewish Studies conference at the University of Haifa on Tuesday. This year’s conference, themed “A Changing America,” explored the evolving challenges and opportunities of Jewish identity in the US. Scholars, Jewish-American community leaders, and policymakers from both countries shared insights on the shifting dynamics within American Jewry and its relationship with Israel.
"We have heard from hostages, including those who were released, how the attacks and fighting personally endangered them," they noted.
"We know of 41 hostages who have been killed in captivity," they said, adding, "The concerns of the hostage families should be entirely understandable."
"Israel had 15 weeks to bring them back, and in reality, we see that only an agreement has succeeded in securing their release. We do not know where this is headed or what the objective is."
Who is Omer Neutra?
Neutra, a lone soldier from New York, served as a tank platoon commander in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade.
He was 21 when he was killed on October 7, and his body was taken to Gaza.
His parents shared that soon after he was declared missing, former US president Donald Trump personally called them after obtaining their phone number through a mutual acquaintance.
"Last week, together with the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, we brought a delegation of released hostages to meet with Trump at the White House," they said.
"It was important to us that he hear firsthand from hostages like Noa Argamani, who was held captive with Yossi Sharabi, who was killed by an Israeli Air Force missile that struck the building he was in.
"We do not determine policy, but as American citizens, and due to our direct connection to the US administration, we believe there is an understanding between the administration and the Israeli government that this is the way to free the hostages," they added.
"The State of Israel signed an agreement that included several phases, with the second phase intended to address ‘the day after’ in Gaza and the return of the hostages. Currently, there has been no progress on this plan, and that is what is holding back the government.
"In practice, the government is violating the very agreement it signed and put on the table. Our suspicion is that this is for political reasons. We fear that the government is avoiding moving to the second phase out of concern that it could lead to its collapse. It has not succeeded in pressuring Hamas to release hostages, even in small numbers."
