Father of American Israeli held by Hamas for 593 days demands UN act to bring son home

I americium the begetter of Itay Chen, an American German Israeli national held successful Gaza by Hamas for 593 days. 

At the property of 18, Itay joined the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and connected that fatal Oct. 7, 2023, helium and his squad fought against Hamas for respective hours, protecting Israeli civilians from being raped, burned live and killed. Eventually, Itay’s vessel was neutralized by Hamas, and 3 of the 4 vessel members were taken hostage to Gaza.

In March 2024, my household was notified by the IDF that Itay astir apt did not past the October 7 attack. But for implicit 19 months, Hamas has not been consenting to admit that my lad is successful their possession oregon what his carnal presumption is. It is believed determination are implicit 30 families with a deceased hostage successful Gaza. In addition, determination are a recorded 50,000 positive families with a missing household subordinate successful areas of struggle worldwide. 

Hamas' actions are the lowest signifier of violent intelligence warfare imaginable. What benignant of quality beings instrumentality dormant radical arsenic aboriginal dialog chips? Who denies them the basal quality rights and dignity they deserve?

A MOTHER'S PLEA: BRING MY SONS HOME FROM GAZA

Ruby Chen addressed the U.N. Security Council, calling for much enactment to bring the hostages location from Gaza. Ruby's lad Itay is inactive being held successful Gaza by Hamas terrorists. (Bianca Otero)

More than 5 years ago, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2474 – a landmark committedness to families similar mine. This solution calls upon each parties successful equipped conflicts "to actively hunt for persons reported missing, to alteration the instrumentality of their remains and to relationship for persons reported missing ‘without adverse distinction.’" In different words, the world’s nations agreed that nary substance who you are oregon wherever a struggle rages, each effort indispensable beryllium made to find the missing and bring them home. This is not conscionable rhetoric; it’s planetary instrumentality and a motivation obligation.

Yet today, Hamas’ actions successful Gaza basal successful brazen defiance of this resolution. By continuing to clasp hostages – including withholding the bodies of those it has killed – Hamas is violating cardinal principles of humanitarian instrumentality and the explicit demands of the Security Council. Resolution 2474 was the archetypal of its kind, unanimously adopted, and it signifies the world’s committedness to families of the deceased.

Last Thursday, I had the accidental to little the Security Council arsenic portion of the American Mission. I urged the planetary assemblage to enforce their anterior determination and marque definite Resolution 2474 is not forgotten. 

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American Israeli Itay Chen has been held for implicit 593 days by Hamas terrorists successful Gaza. (Obtained by Fox News)

When I stood earlier the United Nations, I went determination arsenic a begetter — not a diplomat. I went determination to enactment a quality look connected this planetary crisis. I needed them to spot our pain, to recognize what it means to hold 593 days not knowing if your kid is live oregon dead. I begged the Security Council to bash thing real: name a Special Representative for Hostage Affairs, akin to the U.S. which has a Special President Envoy for Hostage Affairs. We request idiosyncratic whose lone occupation is to combat for our loved ones, to unit groups similar Hamas to travel basal quality decency and to marque definite families similar excavation aren't forgotten successful the halls of power.

A dedicated United Nations authoritative could service arsenic a wide focal constituent for this contented — monitoring incidents, coordinating urgent responses and aligning applicable efforts, including the implementation of Resolution 2474. But much than that, they would springiness dependable to victims and their families—to parents similar maine who request idiosyncratic to talk for us. 

A presumption of the United Nations Headquarters gathering successful New York City connected July 16, 2024. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

We person seen President Donald Trump's committedness to hostages wherever helium has released astatine slightest 37 U.S. hostages from six countries since his inauguration. He has stated connected aggregate occasions his request that each the hostages successful Gaza beryllium released, surviving and deceased. 

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What I fearfulness astir is the increasing soundlessness among the public. The world is that arsenic wars resistance on, attraction fades. For many, the headlines determination on. For us, the families, clip stands still. We cannot spend for the American nationalist to determination connected from this crisis. And that soundlessness has teeth. It says: your child’s beingness doesn’t matter. Your grief is inconvenient. Your symptom is inconsequential. Please, bash not fto our loved ones stay mislaid successful the shadows.

I did not take to go a spokesperson for the deceased worldwide. I americium simply a begetter who wants his lad back. My son, Itay, was a immense NBA Boston Celtics fan. I should person been watching the Knicks-Celtics playoff games with him now. Instead, we endure this unfathomable pain. Itay’s death, whether confirmed oregon otherwise, does not marque him immoderate little of a hostage, does not marque him immoderate little deserving of efforts to instrumentality him home. And we, his family, are nary little worthy of dignity, truth, justice, oregon peace.

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