The father of a missing American serving in the Israeli army has called on Joe Biden to do more to protect American citizens under attack by Hamas.
Itay Chen, a US-Israeli dual citizen, was serving with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) on the Gaza border when Hamas launched its devastating terror attack on Israel on Saturday morning.
His father, Ruby Chen, who is from Brooklyn, New York, but now lives in Netanya, Israel, said the last he heard from his ‘wonderful’ son was that his base was under heavy bombardment.
Itay has since been confirmed as missing in action (MIA) by the IDF.
Mr. Chen said he had reached out to the US State Department for help, but criticized US authorities for “taking a back seat” to the investigation into Itay’s whereabouts.
New York-born Ruby Chen made a direct plea to Joe Biden, asking that the US do more to help its dual citizens who have gone missing or been taken hostage by Hamas in Israel.
Mr. Chen said his son, Itay (pictured), had been confirmed missing in action by the Israeli Defense Forces, where he was serving on the Gaza border on Saturday when Hamas launched its attack.
In a heartbreaking revelation, the New Yorker said his son only stayed at the base so he could return home this weekend for his younger brother’s bar mitzvah – a Jewish initiation ceremony for a boy turning 13.
But now Mr. Chen said it is ‘fair assumption’ Itay may no longer be in Israel, suggesting that his son may have been taken hostage by Hamas.
It comes after the US State Department confirmed on Monday that nine Americans were killed in Israel during Hamas’s massive terror attack that began on Saturday morning.
Authorities are desperately trying to locate an unknown number of missing US citizens.
More than 700 people have been killed in Israel since Saturday, including 260 killed by Hamas gunmen at a music festival.
Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, said on CNN on Sunday that “numerous hostages” had been taken in Gaza. “I can tell you there are also American hostages as part of that number,” Dermer added.
Mr. Chen described his last contact with his son on Saturday as “a very short call”, in which Itay revealed that his base was “under attack”.
The soldier was seen two hours after that call, but not since, his father said.
“Nobody saw him in the hospital… and nobody saw him dead in a morgue,” Mr. Chen said CNN.
“So the only thing the IDF has to say is we don’t know where he is.”
Mr. Chen made a direct plea to President Biden to step up U.S. efforts to help its dual citizens under attack by Hamas.
“Today I went with my family in front of the US Embassy and asked the US Embassy to treat us first and my son as an American citizen,” he said.
“A US citizen is missing in action… And if he is indeed missing in action and may even be a prisoner of war (PoW), I think that the US should, at a minimum, demand that any prisoner of war be treated according to international law, which states that you have to take care of the prisoner, you have to identify him, you have to allow the red cross or the UN to visit and see what the status of that prisoner is.
‘Unfortunately we don’t get that treatment at the moment. President Biden and the Secretary of State (Anthony Blinken), we have great respect for them. They say all the right things we expect them to say.
“But again, we believe that they can be more proactive in the actions that need to be taken to identify and locate these American citizens who are missing in action.”
Mr. Chen said he had reached out to the US State Department for help, but criticized US authorities for “taking a backseat” to investigating Itay’s whereabouts
Mr. Chen said he hopes Itay, a basketball fanatic who idolized Coby Bryant growing up, can be reunited with his brother in time for his landmark celebration this weekend.
“We still very much hope that we will be able to celebrate this bar mitzvah ceremony together with all our families,” he added.
“I’m pleading with President Biden…please do everything in your power to make sure we know where our son is and can celebrate like we wanted to just a week ago.”
The State Department has yet to confirm the identity of any Americans missing or killed in Israel since Hamas launched its brutal attack Saturday morning.
The parents of a missing 23-year-old American man have made a plea for him to ‘come home’ after he sent them a chilling text message while attending a desert party in Israel, moments before Hamas launched a launched a surprise attack in which 260 people were killed. people at the festival.
Hersh Golberg-Polin, 23, texted his mum and dad ‘I love you, I’m sorry’ at 8.11am on Saturday – as callous Palestinian militants declared war on Israel, took dozens hostage and killed hundreds during the Jewish heyday. holiday.
Born in Berkeley, California, Hersh and his family moved to Jerusalem when he was just seven years old.
His family have no idea where he is – and they now fear for his life, after he spent the night at the desert rave near the Gaza Strip that was infiltrated and ambushed by Palestinian terrorists.
Ilan Troen, a professor at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, said his daughter Deborah Matias, 50, and her husband, Shlomi, were killed when Hamas fighters attacked their community in southern Israel.
The Boston-born academic recalled how his daughter Debbie Shahar Troen Mathias and son-in-law Shlomi Mathias were killed by gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Born in Berkeley, California, Hersh and his family moved to Jerusalem when he was just seven years old
Hersh Golberg-Polin (23) texted his mother and father ‘I love you’. I’m sorry’ at 8:11 a.m. Saturday – as Palestinian militants declared war on Israel, took dozens hostage and killed hundreds during the Jewish high holiday
Debbie Shahar Troen Mathias and Shlomi Mathias. They were killed while protecting their son in Israel
Professor Ilan Troen recently retired from his role at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and moved to Israel to live. The Boston-born academic recalled how his daughter and son-in-law were killed by gunmen from the Gaza Strip on Saturday – and how the two managed to save their teenage son by throwing their bodies over him.
They managed to save their teenage son by throwing their bodies over him.
The family was together in a safe room inside their home when they were invaded by Hamas fighters.
The young boy, Troen’s grandson, was shot in the stomach and is in hospital.
Hannah Katsman, a native of Cincinnati and Israel, said on Facebook that her son Hayim Katsman was killed at his kibbutz near the border with Gaza.
Mr. Katsman, an academic who specialized in Israel studies, was a graduate of the University of Washington.
It is unclear whether Ms Matias and Mr Katsman are among the eleven US citizens whose deaths have been confirmed by the State Department.
Meanwhile, Canadian peace activist Vivian Silver (75) was reportedly kidnapped on Saturday, near the border, from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Born in Winnipeg, Silver was previously director of the Arab Jewish Center for Empowerment, Equality and Cooperation, which organized projects that connect with communities in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
In 2014, after the last major war between Israel and Hamas, she helped found Women Wage Peace, which promotes peace between women from all communities.
About 200,000 American citizens live in Israel, about 2.2 percent of the total Israeli population, according to 2021 data from the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
That year, 4,000 Americans immigrated to Israel, the highest number since 1973, according to the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption.
A disproportionate number – about one in ten – move to settlements in the West Bank, compared to 3.2 percent of all new immigrants.