NETANYA, ISRAEL: New York City-born Itay Chen, a 19-year-old member of the Israel Defense Force (IDF), is speculated to be one of the 130 or more people being held captive in the Gaza Strip after being abducted from Israel by Hamas militants.
The parents of the missing American-Israeli dual citizen protested outside the US embassy in Israel on Monday, October 9, requesting President Joe Biden to take action to free their son in the wake of the horrifying Hamas attack in Israel over the weekend.
The last thing Itay's father, Ruby Chen, from Brooklyn, New York, who now resides in Netanya, Israel, heard from his "wonderful" son was that his base was being heavily bombarded.
Itay said his base was "under attack" in "a very short call," said Chen, who last spoke with his son on October 7.
The IDF later declared Itay to be missing in action (MIA), per Daily Mail.
Ruby said that he had requested assistance from the State Department but blamed American officials for "taking a back seat" in searching for Itay.
Attempts to reach Itay Chen went unanswered
After attempting to contact their son following this week's Hamas onslaught failed, Ruby and his wife Laity Chen traveled to the Lahav 433 facility to identify the missing after the initial Israel-Hamas combat, known as "Operation Swords of Iron" by Israeli forces.
There, his parents received a formal Missing In Action (MIA) notification. When no officer has located a person in the last 36 hours, the Israeli Defense Forces classify them as MIA.
This indicates that he was not found in a hospital, that he had not been reported missing, and that he was very likely still alive and detained in Gaza at the time of the incident.
The New Yorker father made the heartbreaking admission that his son had only stayed at the base to go home in time for his younger brother's "bar mitzvah," a Jewish initiation rite for boys turning 13.
As per USA Today, Itay was brought up in New York, saying the Pledge of Allegiance every day, and supporting American athletes.
While his father supported the local New York Knicks, Itay grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan who admired Kobe Bryant.
Holding hands with his wife, Ruby urged the Biden administration to speak with the Hamas leaders who allegedly abducted his son and other Americans and demand that they uphold international law regarding the protection of war detainees.
Along with other family members and friends, Ruby said, "We are asking the president to do what he can in order to bring our kids back safely home."
They held placards that stated, "USA protects its citizens!" and were wearing T-shirts that read, "Bring Itay Home Now," "Help Find Itay," and included a picture of a beaming Itay Chen.
Ruby Chen claims United States needs to stand up for all Americans
"The American government must defend all Americans, even those who reside in Israel and overseas," Chen told the outlet outside the American embassy in Israel.
At least 11 Americans were killed in the devastating weekend strikes by Hamas against Israel. The Biden administration has acknowledged that American citizens are missing but has not specified how many people have been held captive.
In a statement on Monday, Biden stated, "I have directed my team to work with their Israeli counterparts on every aspect of the hostage crisis."
The president also noted that experts from throughout the US government would be sent to Israel to consult with and offer advice on hostage retrieval efforts.
Since Hamas began its horrific attack on Israel on October 7 morning, the State Department has yet to confirm the identities of any Americans who went missing or have been killed.
