The circle of “Tank 3” is finally closing. Nearly more than two years after the October 7 Hamas attack, the remains of Capt. Omer Neutra and Sgt. Oz Daniel — two of the four tank crew members who fought to the end at the “White House” post near Nir Oz and Nirim — were returned to Israel for burial Sunday overnight.
“The soul feels at peace,” said Oz’s mother, Merav Daniel, after receiving news of her son’s return. “It’s painful, but it had to happen. Parents are not meant to bury their children — let alone fight for the right to do so. We fought not to bring Oz home alive, but to ensure he would rest in dignity.”
Tank 3’s four-man crew included Capt. Omer Neutra, 22, from Long Island, who commanded the tank; Sgt. Oz Daniel, 19, from Kfar Saba, his radio operator and loader; Pvt. Nimrod Cohen, 21, from Rehovot, the gunner; and Sgt. Shaked Dahan, 19, from Afula, the driver. Dahan’s body was recovered in a military operation in August 2024, while Cohen was released alive during the final hostage exchange.
“We were told from the beginning the soldiers would be last,” said Merav Daniel. “When people heard Oz was kidnapped, they asked if he was at Nova. It was hard to explain that he was a soldier. Now the soldiers have finally come home. Thank God for this miracle.”
She described her son as “loving and optimistic,” recalling that he chose to enlist in a combat unit while still in high school. “He fought bravely, defending the country even when he knew he was giving his life. I salute him — and all the heroes. We’ll continue fighting until the last hostage returns.”
Omer Neutra’s grandmother, Tamar Zohar, said the family felt both relief and grief. “When we heard Omer was being brought home, there was a sense of peace,” she said. “The open circle will close with a proper burial for our brave grandson. There’s no other word to describe him.”
Zohar recalled that Neutra, his only grandson who grew up in the U.S., had chosen to move to Israel and enlist as a lone soldier. “He came on his own and volunteered for combat service,” she said. “He completed officer training and was stationed on the Gaza border. I always said I wouldn’t go there until he came back. Now, at least, we’ll have a place to visit.”
“Even now, we can’t fully heal until all the fallen are returned,” she added. “Today, three came home. There’s joy — but also deep pain.”