Among the dead and missing in Israel are some of our own.
In Israel, military service is compulsory once citizens reach 18 years of age — men serve for three years and women for two.
This requirement also applies to Americans holding dual citizenship and residing in Israel. Individuals with U.S. citizenship have a long history of serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
Individuals living outside of Israel, whether they hold Israeli citizenship or not, can also apply to join the IDF, according to CNN.
That is what Omer Neutra from Plainview, New York, did.
Neutra, 22, deferred his acceptance to college so he could follow in the footsteps of his parents and join the Israeli armed forces, eventually rising to the position of tank commander, the New York Post reported.
His father described him to Newsday as “a good Jewish boy who loves both the American country and the Israeli country.”
On Monday evening, a representative from the Israeli consulate visited the home of his parents, Ronen and Orna Neutra, to give them the devastating news — their son had been taken hostage by Hamas.
The family later found out that Omer was in a tank trying to defend the Gaza border when Hamas terrorists abducted him.
They are now imploring authorities, including the Biden administration, to intervene.
President Joe Biden said in remarks on Wednesday that there’s “a lot we’re doing. I have not given up hope of bringing these folks home.” He went on to say, however, that it would be “bizarre” to disclose what exactly the administration is doing on that front.
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