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- 'Bring them home!' – RNC crowd welcomes parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra
'Bring them home!' – RNC crowd welcomes parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra
The crowd in Milwaukee greeted the parents with calls to 'Bring them home!' as Ronen and Orna Neutra ask for continued US support
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![Orna and Ronen Neutra, whose son Omer was abducted by Hamas on October 7, speak at the Republican National Convention](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/84/d8/fd/33/62/7b/fa/dd/64/b0/5c/d8/03/80/cc/4f/84d8fd33627bfadd64b05cd80380cc4f.jpg?width=1000)
Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra, gave a speech at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, calling for solidarity with the plight of Israelis taken by Gazan terrorists on October 7.
The pair spoke to i24NEWS' Hebrew channel, saying the crowd in Milwaukee "warmed their hearts."
"Our son, Omer, is an American citizen," Orna Neutra said at the convention. "For 285 long days and nights, Hamas terrorists have been holding Omer in prisons in tunnels underneath Gaza. Omer, which is a biblical name, and means in Hebrew the first crop, is our first born. He was born in New York city, one month after 9/11. Eight months pregnant, I walked across the Queensborough bridge towards home that day. And here we are, 23 years later, and he’s the victim of another vile terrorist attack."
Speaking about her son, she continued: "He’s a connector, he’s an extremely social person. He loves sports. In high school, he was captain of the soccer ball, volleyball, and basketball teams. He’s a natural leader. And he cares deeply about others and about helping them grow. He turned 22 on October 14 2023, and instead of celebrating with us and his friends, he spent his birthday as a hostage of Hamas terrorists. Imagine, over nine months, not knowing whether your son is alive, waking up every morning, praying that he, too, is still waking up every morning. That he is strong and is surviving. I recite psalm 23 in his merit every single day:
"[Though] I walk through the valley of shadow and death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."
The crowd joined the parents, chanting: “Bring them home. Bring them home. Bring them home.”
"During the brutal October 7 attack on Israel," Ronen Neutra said, "over 1,200 people were slaughtered. Of them, 45 were American citizens. Where is the outrage?! Where is it? This was not merely an attack on Israel. This was and remains an attack on Americans. Omer is one of eight American hostages and one of 120 hostages still left in Gaza. Citizens of 24 countries and five different religions–still held by Hamas, denied basic human basic needs, their lives threatened every day. President Trump called us personally right after the attack when Omer was taken captive. We know he stands with the American hostages. We need our beautiful son back. And we need your support. We need your support to end this crisis and bring all the hostages back home."
The crowd once again joined the parents, chanting "Bring them home."
"Omer, we love you, we won’t stop fighting for you," Orna vowed.