Body of IDF Soldier Itay Chen, Killed Fighting Hamas on Oct. 7, Returned to Israel

The body of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen was returned from Gaza to Israel late Tuesday night after Hamas handed his remains to the Red Cross, ending more than two years of waiting for his family.

Chen, 19, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen from Jerusalem, was serving in the 77th Battalion of the IDF’s Golan Formation when Hamas terrorists attacked the Nahal Oz base on October 7. He was killed in battle and abducted to Gaza, one of several soldiers taken from the base during the massacre.

Chen’s casket was received from the Red Cross, inspected, and draped in an Israeli flag during a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi. His remains were then escorted by police to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification. Hamas has previously transferred remains that were later found not to belong to hostages, prompting a thorough verification process.

“Itay Chen fell while fighting bravely from his tank on the morning of October 7,” the IDF said, adding that it “shares in the family’s sorrow and continues to dedicate all efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.”

Chen’s family had long been among the most visible advocates for the hostages’ return. His father, Ruby Chen, a New York native, traveled worldwide to keep his son’s name in the public eye and press officials to secure his return. The family had vowed not to sit shiva until his body was brought back for burial.

“After 760 days, Itay is back home,” Ruby Chen wrote on X Tuesday night.

Chen was killed alongside Sgt. Tomer Leibovitz and Cpt. Daniel Perez. Their tank crew’s only survivor, Matan Angrest, was held captive in Gaza for two years before being released last month. Upon learning of Chen’s return, Angrest wrote on Instagram, “I never stopped thinking of you. You’re finally back, my brother.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States “honors the life” of Chen, the last American citizen held by Hamas. “We honor his life, mourn his loss, and stand with his family,” Rubio wrote on X.

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum said Chen’s return “provides some measure of comfort to a family that has lived with agonizing uncertainty for over two years,” adding that “we will not rest until the last hostage is brought home.”

Chen’s death had been confirmed by the IDF on March 10, 2024, based on intelligence indicating he was killed on October 7. Seven Israeli hostages killed in captivity are still believed to remain in Gaza. The return of Chen’s body leaves Hadar Goldin, killed and abducted in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge, as the only IDF soldier whose remains remain in Hamas custody.

The IDF said it continues to “implement all elements of the agreement” to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers and civilian hostages still held in the Strip.