Latest news with #ItayChen
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘600 days that we fight for our lives': Israel marks a milestone of pain and prayer
Hostage families and Knesset members joined Christian supporters of Israel worldwide to mark 600 days since the October 7, 2023 attacks and pray for the 58 hostages still held captive. Six hundred days since his son, Itay Chen, was abducted by Hamas forces, Ruby Chen's message to the crowd at the Knesset auditorium was personal, not political. 'I'm standing here as a father,' Chen said. For more stories from The Media Line go to He explained that his family had chosen not to hold a shiva—the traditional Jewish week of mourning—despite being told by Israeli intelligence that Itay was killed on the day he was abducted from his tank on the Gaza border. 'Not because we don't believe in the Jewish faith—on the contrary. It's because we still have hope that he could come back,' Chen said. Until he and his wife know with absolute certainty that their son is dead, they refuse to give up hope. Chen made these comments as part of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, an annual interfaith gathering founded in 2017 to foster global prayer and diplomatic solidarity with Israel. Addressing the crowd, he emphasized that the goals of dismantling Hamas and returning all the hostages 'don't always coexist.' 'It is unfortunate that after 600 days, I am still standing here, wishing to see my son back, as well as 57 other hostages,' he said. The event was marked by the weight of war, grief, and a resolute hope for the return of the hostages—shared by worshipers from dozens of countries. Albert Veksler, director of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast, highlighted the importance of holding the gathering inside the Israeli Knesset. 'We are not just praying generically for peace,' he said. 'We are praying for names. For the return of captives. For justice to prevail.' Addressing hostage families and parliamentarians, Veksler described the moment as 'prophetic'—a call for faith-based solidarity to become a voice for the voiceless. The session was sponsored by MK Matan Kahana, who opened by reflecting on his own experience in the security cabinet before the war. 'We sanctify life. They sanctify death and murder,' he said of Hamas. 'We didn't believe them. And now we understand—they really mean what they are saying.' MK Moshe Turpaz of the centrist Yesh Atid party, who returned to active military duty on the morning of October 7, 2023, addressed the crowd with solemn urgency: 'Six hundred days since this war began. Six hundred days that our brothers and sisters are still in Gaza. Six hundred days that we fight for our lives.' Fellow party member MK Tatiana Mazarsky spoke of the deep ache shared by Israeli families as the hostages' captivity drags on. 'No joy can be complete while our brothers remain in captivity … held underground, without food and water, 600 days already,' she said. 'Every single day counts. Every hour could save a life.' MK Simon Davidson, also of Yesh Atid, expressed deep appreciation for the global supporters present. 'We need your support. We need your prayers. And we need you speaking on behalf of Israel, on behalf of our soldiers, on behalf of the right—and not the evil—in the world,' he said. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, acting in his capacity as head of Israel's legislature, formally welcomed the international delegation and emphasized the moral clarity of their stance. 'When the nations of the world stand with Jerusalem, they are standing with truth, with justice, and with the values that sustain free societies,' he said. Also present were MK Ohad Tal of the Religious Zionism party and MK Amit Halevi of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, both of whom used their remarks to underscore the historic nature of the Jewish return to sovereignty. Tal referred to the 'miracle of Jewish revival' while Halevi called Jerusalem 'the eternal capital of a people who never left it in their prayers or their tears.' One of the final speakers was Eduard Heger, former prime minister of Slovakia, who used the platform to deliver a public act of repentance. 'Please forgive us,' he said. 'In 1941, Slovakia issued a Jewish Codex that stripped our Jewish citizens of their rights. Eighty years later, as Prime Minister, I led an official apology.' Turning to the room of lawmakers and believers from dozens of nations, he called on his fellow attendees to interrogate their own countries' histories. 'If there is a sin against Israel, follow the path of reconciliation,' he urged. Among the many Christians attending was Dale Ditto, a financial adviser and attorney from Kentucky, who has participated in the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast since its founding in 2017. He told The Media Line that people often ask whether he is afraid to travel to Israel. 'But when I come to Jerusalem, I feel peace,' he said. 'We worship the same God,' Ditto said of Jews and Christians. 'We want his will to be done on earth. I think my being here will have an effect around the world.' Former MK Rabbi Yehudah Glick described the gathering as 'very significant.' 'To know that we have so much friendship and so many supporters of Israel is something that gives us strength,' he told The Media Line. Glick, who chairs the Shalom Jerusalem Foundation and also leads the Amitsim organization for young widows and orphans, called the global Christian movement toward Israel 'the second greatest miracle of our era' after the establishment of the state of Israel. 'These people are not just coming here. They're going back home and becoming ambassadors—political ambassadors, spiritual ambassadors, educational ambassadors,' he said. He added that God should be praised daily for the friendship between Christians and Jews. 'It's a miracle that must not be taken for granted,' he said.
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Father of American Israeli held by Hamas for 593 days demands UN act to bring son home
I am the father of Itay Chen, an American German Israeli citizen held in Gaza by Hamas for 593 days. At the age of 18, Itay joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and on that fatal Oct. 7, 2023, he and his squad fought against Hamas for several hours, protecting Israeli civilians from being raped, burned alive and killed. Eventually, Itay's tank was neutralized by Hamas, and three of the four tank members were taken hostage to Gaza. In March 2024, my family was notified by the IDF that Itay most likely did not survive the October 7 attack. But for over 19 months, Hamas has not been willing to acknowledge that my son is in their possession or what his physical status is. It is believed there are over 30 families with a deceased hostage in Gaza. In addition, there are a recorded 50,000 plus families with a missing family member in areas of conflict worldwide. Hamas' actions are the lowest form of terrorist psychological warfare imaginable. What kind of human beings take dead people as future negotiation chips? Who denies them the basic human rights and dignity they deserve? More than five years ago, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2474 – a landmark commitment to families like mine. This resolution calls upon all parties in armed conflicts "to actively search for persons reported missing, to enable the return of their remains and to account for persons reported missing 'without adverse distinction.'" In other words, the world's nations agreed that no matter who you are or where a conflict rages, every effort must be made to find the missing and bring them home. This is not just rhetoric; it's international law and a moral obligation. Yet today, Hamas' actions in Gaza stand in brazen defiance of this resolution. By continuing to hold hostages – including withholding the bodies of those it has killed – Hamas is violating fundamental principles of humanitarian law and the explicit demands of the Security Council. Resolution 2474 was the first of its kind, unanimously adopted, and it signifies the world's promise to families of the deceased. Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to brief the Security Council as part of the American Mission. I urged the international community to enforce their prior decision and make sure Resolution 2474 is not forgotten. When I stood before the United Nations, I went there as a father — not a diplomat. I went there to put a human face on this global crisis. I needed them to see our pain, to understand what it means to wait 593 days not knowing if your child is alive or dead. I begged the Security Council to do something real: appoint a Special Representative for Hostage Affairs, similar to the U.S. which has a Special President Envoy for Hostage Affairs. We need someone whose only job is to fight for our loved ones, to pressure groups like Hamas to follow basic human decency and to make sure families like mine aren't forgotten in the halls of power. A dedicated United Nations official could serve as a clear focal point for this issue — monitoring incidents, coordinating urgent responses and aligning relevant efforts, including the implementation of Resolution 2474. But more than that, they would give voice to victims and their families—to parents like me who need someone to speak for us. We have seen President Donald Trump's commitment to hostages where he has released at least 37 U.S. hostages from six countries since his inauguration. He has stated on multiple occasions his demand that all the hostages in Gaza be released, living and deceased. What I fear most is the growing silence among the public. The reality is that as wars drag on, attention fades. For many, the headlines move on. For us, the families, time stands still. We cannot afford for the American public to move on from this crisis. And that silence has teeth. It says: your child's life doesn't matter. Your grief is inconvenient. Your pain is inconsequential. Please, do not let our loved ones remain lost in the shadows. I did not choose to become a spokesperson for the deceased worldwide. I am simply a father who wants his son back. My son, Itay, was a huge NBA Boston Celtics fan. I should have been watching the Knicks-Celtics playoff games with him now. Instead, we endure this unfathomable pain. Itay's death, whether confirmed or otherwise, does not make him any less of a hostage, does not make him any less deserving of efforts to return him home. And we, his family, are no less worthy of dignity, truth, justice, or peace.
The National
16-05-2025
- The National
Father of missing Hamas hostage Itay Chen presses for international efforts
An Israeli, German, American soldier, 19-year-old Itay Chen was taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel
The National
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
We deserve closure, father of Gaza hostage says
Ruby Chen has spent 587 days waiting for his son Itay, 19, to come home. An Israeli-German-American soldier serving in the Israeli military, Itay was taken hostage by Hamas -led militants during the October 7, 2023, assault on southern Israel. His father now divides his time between grief and diplomacy, appealing to leaders, from Washington to Doha, for help in bringing him home. 'My family are Holocaust survivors,' Mr Chen told the The National, as he prepared to speak before the UN Security Council on the issue of hostages held in Gaza. 'They understand the magnitude of having a Jewish state to protect us. Itay could have gone to college, could have been in New York, but he chose to serve.' He said he met many times with the US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff – 'a man with a large heart'. 'He understands the issues of the hostages as he himself lost his son in different circumstances, but he understands what it means to be a parent and losing a child,' said Mr Chen. 'He has promised to us that: 'I will not disappoint you, and I will not end this mission until you will be reunited with Itay as well as the other US families'.' Mr Chen emphasised the importance of sustained international efforts to bring the remaining hostages home. 'We need the help of the US's international partners such as the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi, to broker a deal which will decouple the bigger political issue that has been going on for decades," he explained. "There are still 58 hostages, including four Americans, as well as the humanitarian crisis of the people of Gaza who have been used as human shields by a terrorist organisation for far too long." His comments come after hostage Edan Alexander was released by Hamas, reportedly as a goodwill gesture towards US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the Gulf this week. Mr Chen also urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to heed public opinion on the war. 'Four polls show the Israeli public supports a ceasefire to get the last hostage home. Not hostages, but the last hostage,' he stressed. On March 24, Mr Chen and his wife were notified by the Israeli military that Itay probably did not survive the October 7 attack. 'For over 19 months, Hamas have not been willing to acknowledge that he is in their possession … what is his physical status? I think this is the lowest form of terrorist psychological warfare imaginable,' Mr Chen told the Security Council at a special meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, which addresses the obligation of returning hostage remains. 'We are collateral damage,' Mr Chen said. 'We are not the sons or daughters of prime ministers. But we deserve comfort. We deserve closure.' For now, Mr Chen and his family remain stuck, as he describes it, 'in an alternative universe", fighting for one thing: 'to be reunited' with Itay. When asked what he would say if given the chance to speak directly to Hamas, he said: 'I would say to them that they have done bad things. We need to see a better future for everybody.' He added: 'This war has gone on far too long. We need to find a compromise … a way to be together. We are all children of the same God. We are descendants of Abraham, all of us.' Mr Chen said any aspiration by Hamas to take part in the international community must begin with the release of the hostages captives. 'If they indeed wish to be part of the future, then they need to release at least the hostages and negotiate in good faith for a better future for the Palestinian people.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I'm not sure he's dead': Parents of kidnapped IDF soldier
(NewsNation) —The parents of an Israeli soldier taken Oct. 7 say they still don't know if their son is truly dead despite the Israeli government telling them he was killed in the attack. Itay Chen, an Israeli soldier, had been stationed on the Israeli border when Hamas launched an attack on Oct. 7. The government of Israel said he was killed in the attack and that his remains were taken to Gaza, but his parents, Ruby and Hagit Chen, say they still aren't sure. 54 people killed in overnight airstrikes on southern Gaza city, hospital says 'Hamas have not provided any acknowledgement that, A, that he is in their possession, and B, what his physical status is so we are kind of like in a suspended alternative universe where we just don't have that 100% confidence that that's what happened,' Ruby Chen told NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas. Hagat Chen said they still 'haven't started mourning' their son nearly two years after the attack. The Chens say they are disappointed that the Israeli government hasn't done more to get the remaining hostages released. They added that the Biden administration tried its best to help them, and President Donald Trump made the same commitments to the 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
