October 7 · Personal story
Omer Neutra
Abducted
October 7, 2023
Abduction location
Near the Gaza border, between Nir Oz and Nirim
Current outcome
Returned for burial · November 2, 2025
Omer was killed in battle on October 7, 2023; his body was taken to Gaza after his death. His remains were returned to Israel on November 2, 2025, and he was buried in Tel Aviv on November 7.
01
A Long Island childhood
Omer Maxim Neutra was born in New York in 2001 to Israeli parents, Orna and Ronen, and grew up in Plainview on Long Island. He was the oldest child in the family and had a younger brother, Daniel. At school he captained basketball, soccer and volleyball teams. His parents described a fun-loving, athletic young man and a natural leader. After high school he moved to Israel as a volunteer soldier and served as a tank platoon commander. He had been accepted to Binghamton University, but deferred admission before choosing to enlist in Israel.
02
A tank crew at the border
On October 7, Omer and his crew set out from the “White House” army post between Nir Oz and Nirim toward the Gaza border. Hamas attackers hit their tank with RPG fire and explosive devices. Omer, Oz Daniel and Shaked Dahan were killed and their bodies taken to Gaza; their crewmate Nimrod Cohen was abducted alive. For more than a year, Omer’s family did not know his fate and hoped he would return alive. In December 2024, the military told them that he had been killed on October 7. His body had been held in Gaza after his death.
03
His body held in Gaza
Omer’s parents spent the following year telling his story and asking for his return, at rallies and meetings with leaders in Israel and the United States. After the military informed the family of his death in December 2024, they continued to seek the return of his body for burial. The military told the family that Omer had been killed on October 7; his remains were held in Gaza until November 2025.
04
Returned for burial
Omer’s body was returned from Gaza to Israel on November 2, 2025. His family said the return would allow them to lay him to rest with dignity. Five days later, on November 7, he was buried at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv. His father said the family finally had a place to visit, speak to Omer and remember him.
05
A life remembered by two communities
Omer’s family and friends in Israel and on Long Island continued to speak about the young man they had known: a son and brother, a teammate and leader, and a volunteer soldier who chose to serve in Israel. At his 2024 memorial service, his parents said they had hoped for his return alive; after his death was confirmed, they vowed to keep telling his story. His body’s return in 2025 ended the long wait for a funeral, while his family continues to remember the life he had planned beyond military service.