Ruby Chen, father of American-Israeli hostage Itay Chen, has called for accelerated negotiations to secure the release of all remaining captives. In an interview with Ynetnews, Chen stressed the urgency of concluding the process, especially in light of Hamas' announcement that the next scheduled releases would be postponed due to alleged Israeli violations of the cease-fire.
"This puts us in a very difficult place," Chen said. "We have been advocating inside the White House and to the president [Trump] that we would like to see the last hostages come out with a defined date. The president understands how fragile this framework is and that it needs to be expedited. The way to get to the last hostage is by moving negotiations forward and reaching the endgame — ending the war between Hamas and Israel and securing the hostages’ release."
Ruby Chen, Father of the hostage Itay Chen
(Video: Lior Sharon)
Chen also welcomed the firm stance taken by U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently warned that if Hamas does not release all hostages by noon on Saturday, "all hell will break out."
"That's the type of language we've been missing from the previous administration," Chen shared. "The majority of the families welcome this policy, as well as Mr. Steve Witkoff’s efforts that enabled us to get to this framework. But we need to get to the endgame, and that means the last hostage. Israel has done a lot — it has released assets and withdrawn from parts of Gaza. But to secure the last hostage, there aren't many cards left, which is why negotiations must be expedited."
As a dual U.S. and Israeli citizen, Chen expressed trust in the American administration’s commitment to the hostages’ release.
"If I needed to put my trust in one person, only one person, I would put it in the hands of the president of the United States," he said. "This is difficult to say because I'm also a citizen of Israel, but I’ve looked into his eyes, I’ve talked to his team. They’ve made this a top priority, not out of political calculus, but because it’s the right thing to do. I hope Israel’s prime minister understands that this should supersede any other war objective, including the dismantling of Hamas. First and foremost comes the release of the hostages."
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Addressing concerns about linking hostage negotiations to broader political strategies for Gaza, Chen was clear in his stance.
"I'm a simple dad. I don't want to get into politics, but coupling the 'day after' with the release of the hostages is not a good strategy," he said. "The state of Israel failed me, my family and many other families by allowing the abduction of over 240 citizens, including my son, who was serving as an IDF soldier protecting civilians. Israel has a legal and moral obligation to bring him back — no matter what it takes."
Chen dismissed concerns that opposition from hardline Israeli ministers, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements and National Missions Minister Orit Strock, could delay the hostage agreement’s second phase.
"I think the president has a very direct line to the prime minister," he said. "He views those types of ministers as a nuisance. He doesn’t pay that much attention to Smotrich, Strock, or Ben-Gvir—and I say that based on what I’ve seen inside the White House.
"The president does things because it’s the right thing to do, and in this case, he has prioritized the hostages. I hope Israel’s prime minister understands his responsibility—before political considerations, before what Smotrich says or doesn’t say. Eighty percent of the Israeli people want to see the last hostage out, and they want to see it as soon as possible."