Massive search continues for kidnapped Israelis and Americans feared taken to Gaza
Palestinian militants have taken an unknown number of American citizens hostage in the Gaza Strip, according to US officials. Local media reports suggest the number could be more than a dozen, and some of these people hold dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship.
Nahar Neta, son of Adrian Neta, one of the victims, provided information about his mother’s abduction. Adrian Neta, who is from California and moved to Israel in the early 1980s, was allegedly kidnapped on Saturday morning. Nahar Neta told US Newzs Digital that they don’t have confirmed information because of the chaotic situation, but they believe her mother was taken from her home in Kibbutz Biri.
Neta described being on the phone with his 66-year-old mother early Saturday morning when rocket fire from the Gaza Strip was first reported. He left shortly to put his own children to bed, but his siblings were on the phone with her when the terrorists entered the house and heard her screams.
Nahar Neta, who recently arrived in Israel to assist his family in the search for his mother, expressed confidence that she is not among the casualties at the kibbutz. The kibbutz had been held hostage by terrorists for at least 10 hours on Saturday. Israeli rescue agency Zaka reported on Monday that they had recovered 100 bodies from the kibbutz, which is located five miles from the Palestinian enclave’s border.
Neta emphasized that his mother, a U.S. citizen, is a mother of four and a grandmother of seven, and she had worked as a nurse at a nearby hospital in Beersheba for several decades.
“We don’t believe she is among the deceased, but everything is very unclear, and there is no concrete information,” he stated.
Neta mentioned that his family has been in contact with the U.S. Embassy in Israel, and they believe there are multiple other U.S. citizens who are also missing and potentially among the hostages being held by Hamas and other terrorist groups.
“We are working with the embassy and other arms of the administration to secure the release of my mother and all the other Israeli hostages being held in Gaza,” Nahar Neta stated. He expressed his confidence in his mother’s strength and resilience, believing that if she is still alive, she will overcome this ordeal.
The attack on Saturday resulted in over 900 casualties, as reported by Israel’s Health Ministry on Tuesday, with an additional 2,800 people injured. Israeli authorities, however, have not been able to provide an accurate count of how many individuals were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip.
President Biden acknowledged on Monday that there were at least 11 U.S. citizens among the deceased, and some Americans are still unaccounted for. He expressed his condolences to the families affected by the tragic events and emphasized the pain, loss, and agony experienced by those awaiting information about their loved ones.
He said the safety of US citizens at home or abroad is his “top priority” as president.
The State Department is working to provide consular assistance, as well as updated security alerts for US citizens in Israel, and commercial flights out of the country are still available.
Jonathan Deckel-Chen, a US citizen who grew up in Connecticut but has lived in Israel since the early 80s, told US Newzs Digital that no American authorities have contacted him about the disappearance of his son Sagi, 35.
“Sagui was born in Israel,” Deckel-Chen said. “We both live in Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza border, and our kibbutz was attacked at 6 a.m. Saturday. As a result of that attack, several dozen members of our community were taken or are now missing; Sagui is among them.”
Jonathan Deckel-Chen explained that some of the missing members of the kibbutz were taken by terrorists last time, while others, including his son Sagi, disappeared without a trace. He claimed that his pregnant wife and Sagui’s two young children miraculously survived the attack.
“Sagui was born in Israel and lived his life here, but has always maintained his US citizenship,” Deckel-Chen said. He expressed hope that his son’s acquisition of US citizenship would change their efforts to locate him and that the involvement of the US government would become crucial.
Deckel-Chen U.S. Strongly condemned the attacks by the government but stressed the need for concrete steps and help from the government. He, along with other families of missing persons, was sent to the U.S. He is determined to ensure that the government is aware of the situation and seeks its assistance in doing everything possible to help locate their loved ones.