Itay Chen, a soldier with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship who was believed to be held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, was in fact killed during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.
Chen, 19, was serving on the border with Gaza during the attack, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. The IDF says his remains were taken into Gaza after he was killed.
Chen was thought to be alive as one of six people with American citizenship known to be held hostage in Gaza.
Chen's family has been active in pushing to keep attention and efforts focused on freeing the hostages in Gaza.
In a statement, the family thanked the Biden administration for its efforts to recover Hamas' hostages and said they expect Israel and the U.S. will do everything they can to continue that effort.
President Joe Biden, who has met with Chen's family, said he was "devastated" by the news and said the administration would keep working to have the remaining hostages released.
"No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through," President Biden said of Chen's family.
Hamas took some 250 hostages when it attacked Israel on Oct. 7. It's believed that around 100 are still in captivity.
Israel says 34 of the hostages have been killed in or after the Oct. 7 attack.
Family of US hostage Omer Neutra holds out hope after Hamas kidnapping
Orna Neutra and Ronen Neutra, the parents of Omer Neutra, who was taken by Hamas from Israel on Oct. 7, try to raise awareness for his safe return.
