Plainview native Omer Neutra was taken hostage by Hamas militants on Oct. 7. The 22-year-old tank commander has not been seen or heard from since.
News 12's Rich Barrabi spoke to Neutra's parents about his life on Long Island and his call to service overseas.
Ronen and Orna Neutra say their son excelled in sports and showed true leadership skills while attending the Schecter School of Long Island in Williston Park.
When Omer Neutra graduated high school, he decided to take a gap year in Israel to reconnect with his family's homeland. Soon, a call to service emerged and Omer Neutra joined and began to flourish in the military.
His parents would talk to their son as often as possible, but on Oct. 7, their calls went unanswered.
"As the hours went by and he didn't respond, we realized that something really wrong was going on," Orna Neutra says.
A full conversation with Neutra's parents will air on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. during Power and Politics.