The body of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, an Israeli soldier held hostage in Gaza, was returned to Israel overnight Tuesday, the Prime Minister’s Office announced. Hamas transferred his coffin to the Red Cross in northern Gaza, which handed it over to IDF and Shin Bet personnel inside the Strip. The coffin was received in a military ceremony attended by the IDF’s chief rabbi before being taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine under the Health Ministry.
Following the completion of the identification process by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, together with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives informed Chen’s family that he had been returned for burial.
Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, 19, from Netanya, served as a combat soldier in the 77th Battalion of the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade. According to IDF intelligence, he was killed in battle inside his tank at Kibbutz Nir Oz on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted by Hamas. His death was officially determined on March 10, 2024. He is survived by his parents, Robby and Hagit, and two brothers.
“Itay has come home,” his family said after receiving the news. His parents, who fought a months-long campaign for the return of his body, had often spoken publicly about his bravery and their hope to bring him back for burial in Israel.
In recent days, Israel has permitted Hamas, under Red Cross supervision, to conduct searches in certain areas inside Israeli territory to locate the bodies of missing soldiers. Two days ago, the terror group returned the remains of three other fallen servicemen: Col. Asaf Hamami, Capt. Omer Neutra and Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel. Hamas claimed it had also found another soldier’s body near the “Yellow Line” in Gaza City’s Shujaiyya neighborhood and said arrangements were underway to return it.
Residents gathered at the Nahal Oz intersection Wednesday morning to stand in silent tribute as the convoy carrying Chen’s coffin entered Israel.
Chen was among eight fallen hostages whose bodies were held in Gaza. He fought in a tank crew with Matan Angrest, who returned alive; Staff Sgt. Daniel Peretz, whose body was returned earlier this week; and Sgt. Tomer Leibovitz, who was killed in action and his remains were returned to Israel.
Born to an American father and a German-Israeli mother, Itay Chen was the middle of three brothers. Friends and relatives described him as cheerful, dedicated, and deeply patriotic. “He loved his country and his people,” said his father, Robby. “Now he is finally home.”
The 7 slain hostages are still held in Gaza
Lt. Hadar Goldin, from Kfar Saba, an officer in the Givati Brigade's reconnaissance unit, was killed in Rafah during a ceasefire in August 2014 as part of Operation Protective Edge. His body was taken by Hamas. For over 11 years he has been classified as a fallen soldier whose burial place is unknown. His family has led a public campaign for his return and long demanded that Gaza’s reconstruction not be allowed until his remains are recovered.
Dror Or was murdered on October 7 and abducted to Gaza. Initially classified as a hostage, his family was notified 208 days later that he had died. He was the father of three—Yahli, Noam, and Alma—and the partner of Yonat Or, who was killed that morning. Two of his children, Alma and Noam, were abducted and later freed in the November 2023 hostage release deal.
Sgt. First Class Ran Gvili, from Meitar, a YAMAS officer, was killed in combat at Kibbutz Alumim. Despite suffering a fractured shoulder in a motorcycle accident and being scheduled for surgery, he chose to report for duty in the Gaza envelope. Before being killed and abducted, he saved dozens of lives at the music festival in Re'im. He served for two years in the southern police district’s YAMAS motorcycle unit. He is survived by his parents, Itzik and Talik, and siblings, Omri and Shira.
Meny Godard, from Kibbutz Be’eri, was murdered and abducted on October 7. His death was only confirmed by the kibbutz in February 2024. His wife, Ayelet, was also murdered in the attack on their home. Their daughter, Mor Hashruni, said the couple often organized community sing-alongs and that Meni was the top scorer for Hapoel Be’eri’s soccer team before later coaching its youth squad.
Joshua Loitu Mollel, a Tanzanian national, was listed as missing for two months before it was confirmed he had been abducted and killed in Gaza. He was an agronomy student who arrived in Israel just three weeks before the October 7 attack, as part of an international aid agency internship. He lived in Nahal Oz. Another Tanzanian citizen, Clemens Felix Mtenga, was also killed in the attack. Luitu’s father appealed to the international community for the return of his son’s body.
Lior Rudaeff was abducted from his home in Nir Yitzhak on October 7. In May 2024, his family was informed he had been killed during the attack and that his body was taken to Gaza. Married to Yafa for 38 years, he was the father of Noam, Nadav, Bar and Ben, and grandfather to Tomer, Dagan and Shai. His death notice described him as “a man of giving with a huge heart. For 40 years he volunteered as an ambulance driver in the Eshkol region. He was always the first to volunteer. He had the soul of an Argentine and was a passionate cyclist.”
Rintalak Suttisak, a Thai national, was murdered in the orchards of Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7 and abducted to Gaza. He had worked in Israeli agriculture for years and immigrated in 2017 to support his family.
First published: 20:20, 11.04.25