The father of Israeli soldier Itay Chen left Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations on Friday due to what he perceives as a significant oversight: The Israeli leader acknowledged the 20 hostages who are still alive and held in Gaza but failed to mention the additional 28, including Chen, whose remains are with Hamas.
“There are 48 hostages,” Ruby Chen told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” later in the day. “My son is no less of a hostage.”
Chen’s 19-year-old son, Itay, who held dual citizenship in the U.S. and Israel and served in the Israel Defense Forces, is thought to have been captured and killed in Hamas’s incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023. During the attack, which resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths, primarily Israelis, both living and deceased individuals were taken hostage, leading to the outbreak of war in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s appearance at the U.N. General Assembly involved justifying his government’s ongoing initiatives to eradicate Hamas, amidst international criticism targeting Israel over the humanitarian toll on Palestinian civilians. Some nations have officially recognized a Palestinian state. Notably, several U.N. delegates exited as the prime minister took the stage on Friday.
Ruby Chen regularly wears a strip of yellow tape tracking the days since the attacks on October 7 and the time his family has endured without resolution. He expressed frustration at Israeli politicians’ repeated assurances that they need a little more time to “complete the mission” before reaching a truce with Hamas.
“This is the issue with the prime minister. He perpetually believes a better deal is always on the horizon, which complicates matters,” Chen stated.
He said he hopes President Trump can persuade Netanyahu when the two meet Monday.
