American-Israeli, 19, with ties to NY was killed in Oct. 7 Hamas attack: Biden
NEW YORK (PIX11) – An American with ties to New York was killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday.
Itay Chen, 19, was a dual American-Israeli citizen who was thought to have been kidnapped during Hamas' attack in Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. He had been serving with the military on the Gaza border, according to the forum.
“Until today, we still hoped that New Yorker Itay Chen was alive,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul. “What an incredible young man he was. May his memory be a blessing.”
President Joe Biden, who had previously invited Chen’s family to the White House, confirmed Chen’s death on Tuesday and affirmed his support for the families of the hostages.
“No one should have to endure even one day of what they have gone through,” Biden said in a statement.
Chen grew up in Netanya, a city just north of Tel Aviv, but his family frequently visited his father’s hometown of New York City, his family told The New York Times.
His family, which includes Chen’s two siblings, is now focused on retrieving Chen’s body, according to Congressman Steny Hoyer.
“There is no sequence of words, no order of syllables, that exist in any language that can dull the pain that Itay’s family feels this hour. But they ought to know that our commitment to secure their son’s return is unbreakable,” Hoyer said.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered local news for years. She has been with PIX11 since 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.