‘Never stopped thinking about you’: Released hostage reacts as Hamas returns body of 19-year-old IDF soldier Itay Chen killed on October 7 | World News

A member of the IDF’s Battalion 77, Sa’ar Golan Division, Chen fell in battle and was abducted into Gaza on the morning of October 7th. (Photo: IDF)

Israeli authorities on Wednesday announced that the remains of a hostage returned Hamas, a day earlier, have been identified as those of Staff Sergeant Itay Chen. The 19-year-old, who was born in the US and raised in Israel’s Netanya, was killed on October 7, 2023 during the Hamas terror attack, and his body was taken into Gaza.

Who was Itay Chen

A member of the IDF’s Battalion 77, Sa’ar Golan Division, Chen fell in battle and was abducted into Gaza on the morning of October 7th. He was killed inside a tank during a battle in Kibbutz Nir Oz, along with other members of the crew, Cpt. Daniel Perez, the tank commander and Sgt. Tomer Leibovitz.
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Staff Sergeant Itay Chen was born in the US and raised in Israel. (Photo: AP)

Released hostage remembers Chen

Only one of them, Sgt. First Class Matan Angrest, the tank driver, was alive, and he was taken hostage Hamas.

Angrest was released last month as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, and as he returned to Israel, the 22-year-old was seen holding a hand-written poster, paying tributes to his fallen compatriots, calling them “you are the kings of the lions.”

Israeli hostage Matan Angrest who was released Hamas as part of the ceasefire agreement. (Photo: IDF)

As Chen’s body was returned to Israel on Tuesday, 760 days after he was killed, Angrest posted a photo on social media, showing the duo, with a caption reading, “I never stopped thinking about you. You finally came home, my brother.”

Angrest was released last month as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Photo: Instagram/ Matan Angrest

‘Outstanding young man’

“Itay was a beloved and respected “SHELACH” instructor, guiding children and teenagers, helping them connect more deeply to the land of Israel, encouraging personal growth, and accompanying them on their educational journeys. He completed the full training course, including a survival course,” the Hostage and Missing Families Forum said.

“Itay was an outstanding young man — the very best of our youth. The salt of the earth. He loved the land of Israel, his family, and the friends who always surrounded him. He had a heart of gold — always giving of himself to others, always putting his friends first,” it added.

Hamas, Israel exchange bodies

The military wing of Hamas said earlier Tuesday it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier in Gaza and intended to hand over the remains. Militants in Gaza have released one to three bodies every few days. Israel has pushed to speed up the returns and, in certain cases, has said the remains were not those of hostages. Hamas has said the work is complicated widespread devastation.

For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. So far, the bodies of 270 Palestinians have been handed over under the current ceasefire. Fewer than half have been identified. Forensic work is complicated a lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza. The Health Minry there posts photos of the remains online, in the hope that families will recognise them.