Hamas returns bodies of 3 IDF soldiers slain on Oct. 7

The IDF confirmed that the remains belong to Israeli American Capt. Omer Neutra, Sergeant Oz Daniel, and Lt. Col. Asaf Hamami.

By World Israel News Staff

The deceased hostages returned by Hamas overnight have been identified as three Israeli soldiers who were slain on October 7 and kidnapped to the Gaza Strip.

Forensic testing at the Abu Kabir Institute in Tel Aviv confirmed the remains as belonging to Capt. Omer Neutra, an Israeli American; Sgt. Oz Daniel; and Lt. Col. Asaf Hamami.

All three men were killed during clashes with invading Hamas terrorists along the Gaza border on October 7.

Neutra, 22, was raised in Long Island, New York, to Israeli parents. On October 7, he was serving in a tank alongside Daniel, Shaked Dahan, and Nimrod Cohen.

All of the tank’s crew members — except Cohen — were killed in the onslaught. Cohen survived two years in Hamas captivity and was one of 20 living hostages freed in an early October ceasefire and hostage deal.

Daniel, 19, was killed in battle alongside Neutra, and his body was held in Gaza for more than two years. He is survived by his parents, Merav and Amir, and twin sister, Hadar.

Dahan, 19, was also killed in the firefight. His body was kidnapped, but later recovered from the Strip in an IDF operation in August 2024.

Initially, Neutra was believed to have been kidnapped alive. His parents, Orna and Ronen, led a massive campaign for his return, including speaking at the July 2024 Republican National Convention about their son’s plight.

Around a year after October 7, the Neutra family was informed that their son had been killed based on intelligence reports. Neutra is survived by his parents, one brother, and three sisters.

Hamami, 41, was the commander of the Southern Brigade in the Gaza Division and fell in battle fighting Hamas terrorists near Kibbutz Nirim. He was the highest-ranking Israeli soldier whose body was abducted into Gaza.

Hamami is survived by his wife, Sapir, three children, parents, and brother.

“The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Hamami, Neutra, and Daniel families, and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, adding that the state remains “determined and fully committed to bringing home all our fallen hostages for proper burial in Israel.”

Eight deceased hostages now remain in Gaza, named as Sgt. Major Ran Gvili; Israeli American Sargent Itay Chen; Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body has been held by the terror group since 2014; Dror Or, Meni Godard; Lior Rudaeff; Tanzanian student Joshua Loitu Mulalu; and Thai foreign worker Sontisak Rienthong.