{"id":2327828,"date":"2024-08-20T18:48:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T22:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/families-of-u-s-hostages-take-their-stories-to-the-dnc-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-20T18:49:12","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T22:49:12","slug":"families-of-u-s-hostages-take-their-stories-to-the-dnc-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/families-of-u-s-hostages-take-their-stories-to-the-dnc-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Families of U.S. hostages take their stories to the DNC &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffamilies-of-u-s-hostages-take-their-stories-to-the-dnc-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2327828&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Family \u200cmembers of six \u200bAmericans taken hostage during the October 7 attack in Israel are advocating for\u2062 their loved ones&#8217; release at the \u200dDemocratic National Convention \u2063amid pro-Palestinian protests in\u2063 Chicago. The\u200b families are emphasizing \u200cthe urgency of securing a ceasefire and a deal\u2062 for releasing hostages, as\u200d many \u2062are worried about\u200c the\u200c deteriorating situation of\u2062 their loved ones. Two fathers, Ronen\u200d Neutra \u2063and Ruby Chen, highlight their common plight\u2014Neutra&#8217;s son Omer has been missing for over \u200b319 \u200cdays, while Chen&#8217;s son Itay was killed during the attack\u2064 and\u200d lies unburied\u2062 in Gaza. Both men, speaking from Chicago, express the\u200c need for compassion and understanding from protesters who also seek\u2062 a resolution\u2064 to the\u200b ongoing conflict in the region. As negotiations for a ceasefire \u200bcontinue, the families are urging\u200d all parties to prioritize\u200c the humane treatment of hostages and to work towards ending the \u2064humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Families of US hostages take their stories to the DNC amid Gaza war protests<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1734710\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>CHICAGO &mdash; <\/strong>Family members of six Americans who are still being held hostage after the Oct. 7 attack on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Israel \">Israel <\/a>are at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Democratic National Convention\">Democratic National Convention<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-passes-bill-to-hold-china-accountable-for-violating-us-airspace-with-spy-balloon\/\" title=\"House Passes Bill to Hold China Accountable for Violating US Airspace With Spy Balloon\">increase political pressure<\/a> for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3126142\/israel-accepts-bridging-ceasefire-proposal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"ceasefire deal and hostage release\">ceasefire deal and hostage release<\/a> amid widespread demonstrations from pro-Palestinian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3126692\/chicago-denies-operational-security-failure-dnc-protest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"protestors \">protesters <\/a>in the Windy City.<\/p>\n<p>The families are working to keep the conversation focused on the release of their loved ones who have been gone for 319 days as of Tuesday.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Ronen Neutra and Ruby Chen are two fathers bonded by their tireless advocacy to secure the release of their sons. Neutra&rsquo;s son, Omer, is one of five American hostages believed to be alive, and Chen&rsquo;s son, Itay, was killed on Oct. 7 and Hamas took his body to Gaza.&nbsp; <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of Sagui Dekel-Chen, speaks to reporters after a meeting with President Joe Biden and the families of Americans who were taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Evan Vucci)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Ronen and I are just simple dads from New York City &mdash; we are not spokespeople for the state of Israel. We are just part of this tragedy and we want our kids back,&rdquo; Chen said in an interview with the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>at a hotel in Chicago on Tuesday morning. &ldquo;By coupling our tragedy with the Israeli Palestinian issue, which many, many people for many many years have tried to solve, that is not helpful to us.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Itay Chen, a 19-year-old U.S. and Israeli citizen, was serving in the Israel Defense Forces and was thought to have been taken hostage last October. However Israeli intelligence in March revealed Chen was killed while defending civilians on the Gaza border during the Hamas attack. His family has been unable to hold a funeral, pointing to the fact that his body deserves a proper and dignified burial<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the U.S. we say rest in peace &mdash; the soul needs to be at a place where it is at rest. We are all children of God and all of us have dignity also to the deceased,&rdquo; Chen explained. &ldquo;We need to at least have some closure and begin the next sad chapter of our lives.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Time is running out for 22-year-old Omer Neutra, who was taken from his army base near Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel during the attack. The Israeli military <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3127328\/israeli-forces-recover-bodies-six-hostages-ceasefire-talks\/\">announced <\/a>Tuesday that it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in the attack that started the war in Gaza.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Orna Neutra, right, and her husband Ronen Neutra, left, of Long Island, New York, during the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The recovery operation underscores the urgency for a deal that would bring the hostages home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Negotiations for a ceasefire continue as Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pushed for a deal&nbsp;that would free the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are down to 109 hostages right now in the hands of these savages and we are urging everybody to put pressure wherever they can on the leadership of Hamas and the leadership of Israel to reach a day that is long overdue and bring them home,&rdquo; Neutra told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Pro-Palestinian protests have erupted in Chicago near the convention center. Demonstrators upset over the Biden administration&rsquo;s support for Israel and its failure to end the war in Gaza marched with signs, calling on Vice President Kamala Harris to break with President Joe Biden and embrace an arms embargo, pointing to Israel&rsquo;s retaliatory offensive that has led to the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas and does not identify how many deaths were militants.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Multiple protesters <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3126692\/chicago-denies-operational-security-failure-dnc-protest\/\">were arrested <\/a>Monday after deviating from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gaza-protesters-breach-dnc-security-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Gaza protesters breach DNC security - Washington Examiner\">city-approved parade route<\/a> and breaking down the first layer of security fencing. This comes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-capitol-on-lockdown-amid-protests\/\" title=\"U.S. Capitol on lockdown amid protests\">amid protests<\/a> on U.S. college campuses this spring that featured antisemitism and at times confrontation between protesters and counterprotesters. Both fathers hope to send a message to those demonstrating.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hagit, left, and Ruby Chen, parents of fallen Israeli soldier Itay Chen, pose for a portrait in Tel Aviv, Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (AP Photo\/Maya Alleruzzo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;I think anyone with a heart can relate to our situation. My son was taken for over nine months, I don&rsquo;t know his medical condition, I have no sign of life. If you have a heart you can sympathize,&rdquo; Neutra said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m expecting people on all sides to understand how terrible the humanitarian situation is, and we need to bring them back, and as a result, this will be key to bring calm to the Middle East.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It starts with a ceasefire and a hostage release and everybody in the Middle East, including the people in Gaza, who will get the humanitarian aid they need.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Chen is emphasizing that the families of the hostages and the protesters have a similar goal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is so much misinformation, and from our perspective, we actually have one common goal. We both want to reach a ceasefire and bring calm to the area,&rdquo; Chen said. &ldquo;In that regard, the hostage situation is a humanitarian issue. Anyone with a heart must support the return of the hostages.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Omer, who grew up on Long Island, loved to play sports. He decided to spend a gap year between high school and college in Israel on an educational leadership program. In 2020, he decided to defer his acceptance to Binghamton University and joined the IDF.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He made the very brave decision, we are very proud of him to go support the Israeli Jewish state,&rdquo; Neutra said. &ldquo;He was one of the first responders to rush to the border, trying to defend the kibbutz, the settlements around the Gaza border.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Neutra and his wife Orna addressed the Republican National Convention last month in Milwaukee.&nbsp; Wearing a black shirt with Omer&rsquo;s picture and the words &ldquo;Bring Them Home,&rdquo; Ronen declined to discuss his political views and instead emphasized the importance of being part of a bipartisan effort.<\/p>\n<p>In his speech before the Republican convention, he said former President Donald Trump spoke with them after the attack. He has also praised the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy to say that we&rsquo;re getting very strong support from the Biden administration, but the proof is in the pudding. We need to get those people back, we are 319 days in, this is an incredibly long time, and the hostages are dying.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As of Tuesday afternoon, the families had not yet been asked to address the Democratic convention. However, they are hopeful that they can share their stories onstage.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are hoping the families will have a stage to speak up and tell the story of where we are right now,&rdquo; Neutra said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m pretty sure the Democratic Party will do something similar to the RNC.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1734710\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1734710\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Families of U.S. hostages share their stories at the DNC during Gaza war protests<\/p>\n<p>CHICAGO \u2014 Relatives of six Americans currently held hostage following the October 7 attack on Israel are attending the Democratic National Convention to amplify calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, coinciding with significant pro-Palestinian protests in Chicago. The families aim to keep attention on their loved ones, who have been missing for 319 days as of Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Ronen Neutra and Ruby Chen, two fathers united by their relentless efforts to secure the release of their sons, spoke out. Neutra\u2019s son Omer is one of five American hostages believed alive, while Chen\u2019s son Itay was killed during the attack and his body was taken by Hamas to Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re just ordinary dads from New York City\u2014not representatives of Israel,\u201d Chen stated in an interview with the Washington Examiner at a Chicago hotel on Tuesday morning. \u201cLinking our tragedy to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict isn\u2019t helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Itay Chen, a 19-year-old dual citizen serving in the Israel Defense Forces, was initially thought to be taken hostage last October. However, Israeli intelligence later confirmed he died defending civilians during Hamas&#8217;s assault along the Gaza border. His family has been unable to hold a funeral due to his body being unrecovered; they believe he deserves a respectful burial.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn America we say \u2018rest in peace\u2019\u2014the soul should be at rest,\u201d Chen explained. \u201cWe all deserve dignity even after death; we need closure so we can begin healing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Time is critical for Omer Neutra, 22 years old when he was abducted from his military base near Kibbutz Nir Oz during that attack. The Israeli military announced Tuesday that they had recovered six bodies belonging to hostages taken during that incident.<\/p>\n<p>The urgency surrounding negotiations for a ceasefire continues as Secretary of State Antony Blinken advocates for an agreement that would facilitate hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe currently have 109 hostages still under captivity,\u201d Neutra told Washington Examiner while urging everyone involved\u2014including Hamas and Israeli leadership\u2014to work towards bringing them home.<\/p>\n<p>Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have erupted around Chicago&#8217;s convention center as protesters express frustration over President Biden\u2019s support for Israel amid ongoing violence in Gaza which has reportedly resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian deaths according to figures from Hamas-run health authorities.<\/p>\n<p>Several protesters were arrested Monday after straying from an approved route and breaching security barriers\u2014a continuation of tensions seen this spring across U.S. college campuses marked by instances of antisemitism and clashes between opposing groups.<\/p>\n<p>Both fathers hope their message resonates with demonstrators: <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnyone with compassion can relate,\u201d said Neutra about his son\u2019s prolonged absence without any updates regarding his well-being or condition. \u201cI expect people everywhere will recognize how dire this humanitarian crisis is\u2014we must bring them back home; it\u2019s essential for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Chen emphasized shared goals between families like theirs and those protesting: <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s much misinformation out there; ultimately we want similar outcomes\u2014a ceasefire leading towards stability.\u201d He added that addressing hostage situations should be viewed through a humanitarian lens deserving universal support.<\/p>\n<p>Omer grew up on Long Island where he enjoyed sports before deciding on an educational leadership program gap year in Israel post-high school graduation\u2014ultimately deferring college acceptance at Binghamton University upon joining IDF service instead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe bravavely chose this path\u2014we\u2019re proud he stood up for our Jewish state,\u201d remarked Neutra about Omer who responded quickly when called upon near border settlements facing threats from Gaza militants.<\/p>\n<p>Neutra addressed attendees at last month\u2019s Republican National Convention wearing attire featuring Omer&#8217;s image alongside &#8220;Bring Them Home&#8221; messaging but refrained from sharing political opinions\u2014focusing instead on bipartisan collaboration efforts needed now more than ever.<\/p>\n<p>While they hadn\u2019t yet received invitations speak publicly at DNC events as Tuesday afternoon approached\u2014the families remain hopeful they&#8217;ll get opportunities share personal narratives soon enough.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe&#8217;re optimistic there\u2019ll be platforms available similar what occurred previously within RNC context,&#8221; concluded Neutra expressing desire raise awareness regarding current circumstances faced daily by those affected directly through these tragedies unfolding overseas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2327829,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/082024_JEWISH_ART_INSTALATION-5-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[7705,5401,21509],"class_list":["post-2327828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-dnc","tag-families","tag-hostages"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/082024_JEWISH_ART_INSTALATION-5-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2327828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2327828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2327828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2327829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2327828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2327828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2327828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}