The IDF has notified the family of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, 19, that his remains have been returned to Israel after he was killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack and his body was taken into Gaza. Both the Prime Minister's Office and the IDF confirmed the return, and Hamas said the remains were found east of Shejaiya during excavation efforts. U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner expressed sorrow and gratitude. Authorities say the remains of seven hostages are still believed to be in Gaza.
Remains of Israeli‑American Soldier Itay Chen Returned to Israel, Officials Confirm
The IDF has notified the family of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, 19, that his remains have been returned to Israel after he was killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack and his body was taken into Gaza. Both the Prime Minister's Office and the IDF confirmed the return, and Hamas said the remains were found east of Shejaiya during excavation efforts. U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner expressed sorrow and gratitude. Authorities say the remains of seven hostages are still believed to be in Gaza.
11:37, 05.11.2025Conflict
Remains of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen Returned to Israel
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed the family of Staff Sgt. Itay Chen — an Israeli‑American soldier who was seized by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack — that his remains have been returned to Israel.
Both the Prime Minister's Office and the IDF issued separate statements on Tuesday confirming the development. The Prime Minister's Office said,
"The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Chen family and all the families of the fallen hostages."
The IDF said Chen, 19, was killed during the surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023. According to the military, he died inside a tank while fighting in Kibbutz Nir Oz on the morning of Oct. 7, and his body was later taken into the Gaza Strip. The IDF previously confirmed his death on March 10, 2024.
Israeli officials say Chen was born in the United States and raised in the coastal city of Netanya.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Charles Kushner said in a statement:
"Heartbroken beyond words, yet deeply grateful that the remains of Itay Chen, the last American held hostage by Hamas since October 7, have finally been returned."
Hamas said in a separate statement that Chen's remains were discovered during excavation and search operations east of the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City and that arrangements were being made to repatriate the body. Netanyahu's office later said the coffin was received from Gaza via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Last month, under the first phase of a fragile cease‑fire deal, Hamas freed 20 living hostages to Israel while Israel released nearly 2,000 detainees into Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Since then, Hamas has handed over several sets of remains to Israeli authorities. Israeli officials believe the remains of seven hostages are still in Gaza.
What this means: The return of Chen's remains brings closure to his family amid ongoing efforts to account for hostages and fallen service members. The exchange underscores the fragile progress and continuing humanitarian and diplomatic challenges surrounding the conflict.