Itay Chen, an American-Israeli soldier who went missing during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, has been confirmed dead by the Israel Defense Forces. His body was taken to Gaza by Hamas militants after the attack, and his remains are still in Gaza. The Biden administration's efforts to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas have stalled, with Hamas unwilling to sign on to a truce. Five Americans remain hostages in Gaza, and President Biden offered condolences to Chen's family, reaffirming his pledge to work to bring the remaining hostages home.
A 23-year-old American-Israeli man attending a rave in northern Negev, Israel, sent a chilling message to his parents before going missing after the event was disrupted by Hamas militants. Videos emerged showing attackers paragliding into the party and kidnapping attendees. The young man had recently completed his army service and was celebrating his release. His family is desperately seeking his safe return. The attack on Israel, timed to a major Jewish holiday, resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, with Hamas claiming to have taken many Israeli hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country is at war and vowed that Hamas would face severe consequences.
