BROOKLINE, MASS. (WHDH) - Up until Monday, Tamar Davis Galper, of Brookline, thought her cousin Omer Neutra was kidnapped from Israel and taken hostage Oct. 7, 2023.
But Monday morning, the Israeli Defense Force posted that based on intelligence, they now know that Neutra, 21, was actually killed the day of the terror attack on Israel.
“It’s a complete shock. We’ve all been holding out such hope these last 14 months,” Galper said.
The IDF has also said Neutra’s body was taken into Gaza and has been held there ever since.
“A couple of people wrote maybe there’s some solace that he hasn’t been suffering these last 14 months. I think it’s all part of the psychological torture that was intended by these attacks in the first place,” Galper said.
“We need to keep advocating for Omer’s body to be returned home to his family and to be given a proper burial in the homeland that he literally gave his life for,” she continued.
Raised in New York, Neutra moved to Israel and served in the army. He was in a tank during the Oct. 7 attack.
“He was a leader. We should all take that part of him, to lead, to be good people, to do what’s right, to defend when something wrong is happening, which is what he was doing,” Galper said.
Galper has marked more than 400 days, hoping and praying for all the hostages to come home. While she now knows her cousin’s fate, she said she won’t stop advocating for the others.
“There are still families who are waiting for loved ones to come home. There are still hostages that are alive and waiting to be rescued,” Galper said.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered that all flags within the staff fly at half-staff in memory of Neutra.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)