Americans who are missing or dead in Hamas attack on Israel
Young souls, activists, soldiers and other Americans missing or killed in the war
On October 10, White House officials reported that 14 American citizens lost their lives, with over 20 individuals still unaccounted for following Hamas' assault on Israel and the list can grow longer. President Biden vehemently denounced the incident, labeling it as an act of "pure unadulterated evil." Here is a list of US citizens killed or still missing in Israel.
Hayim Katsman, 32
Initially presumed to be a hostage on Ocotber 7, Katsman was tragically discovered dead in his residence on Kibbutz Holit, situated close to the southern tip of Gaza. His academic pursuits focused on researching conservative trends and radicalism within the Zionist religious community. Beyond his scholarly endeavors, he also had a passion for music, showcasing his skills as a bass guitarist and working as a DJ, specializing in Arabic music.
Judith Tai Raanan, 59, and Natalie Raanan, 17
Residing in Evanston, Illinois, Judith Tai Raanan, a 59-year-old mother and her 18-year-old daughter, Natalie, were visiting relatives at a kibbutz near Gaza. Natalie, recently graduated from Deerfield High School, had earned accolades for her artistic talents. On the fateful day of Ocotber 7, Natalie's father, Uri, received a distressing message from his daughter, indicating they were under attack. Subsequently, all communication ceased, leaving relatives in tears as they shared the heart-wrenching ordeal with a reporter.
Danielle Ben-Senyor, 34
A native of Los Angeles, Danielle Ben-Senyor, 34, relocated to Israel so she could be near her ailing parents, as shared by her cousin Riki Ben-Senyor. In the early hours of October 7, Danielle, who had previously served as an intensive-care nurse during the pandemic, departed Tel Aviv alongside a group of friends to partake in a music festival. Presumed missing initially, after the Hamas attack, her father told CNN on October 11 that she had been killed.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23
Embarking on his journey to the Tribe of Nova music festival, the 23-year-old California-born, Goldberg-Polin left home late night on October 6 equipped with nothing but a backpack and a sleeping bag. The following morning, his mother, Rachel Goldberg, anxiously checked her phone for any updates. His father, Jonathan Polin, said his son's two last messages, were: "I love you," and the second only: "I'm sorry." Goldberg-Polin, whose arm was blown off during the Hamas raid on the music festival according to eyewitnesses, was subsequently captured by the millitant group and hasn’t been heard from since.
Deborah Matias, 50
Deborah Matias, aged 50 and originally from Missouri, met a tragic end in Kibbutz Holit, a community established in 1978. She, along with her husband, Shlomi, lost their lives while courageously shielding their 16-year-old son, Rotem, with their own bodies. Rotem was also shot in the abdomen, but he was rescued after 12 hours and his life was saved.
Adrienne Neta, 66
Adrienne Neta, a 66-year-old grandmother and nurse hailing from California, found herself in a harrowing situation while sitting on her patio, engaged in a phone conversation with her family. In a blink of an eye, the terrorists entered her home and abducted her.
Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35
Sagui Dekel-Chen of Connecticut, aged 35, vanished from the Nir Oz kibbutz and faced a similar fate after bravely resisting the terrorists who infiltrated his kibbutz. Dekel-Chen and his wife were anticipating the arrival of their third child.
Itay Chen, 19
Itay Chen, a 19-year-old US-Israeli citizen and an IDF soldier, altered his duty schedule to attend his younger brother's upcoming bar mitzvah. Unfortunately, he is now missing in action, and the IDF has conveyed this distressing news to Chen's family.
Roey Weiser, 21
Roey Weiser, an Israeli-American soldier, made the ultimate sacrifice while courageously fighting in Israel, endeavoring to protect the lives of his fellow soldiers. The tragic incident unfolded as terrorists infiltrated his base, unleashing a brutal assault on Israeli soldiers within the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade.
Lotan Abir, 24
Lotan Abir, originally from Utah, met a tragic end while attending the Nova Music Festival near the Gaza Strip. In a shocking turn of events, over 50 Hamas terrorists paraglided in, ruthlessly claiming the lives of more than 260 partygoers. Abir, who had relocated to Utah in 2022 after completing his military service in Israel, was remembered by his local rabbi as a "fun-loving" young man.
Laor Abramov, 20
Laor Abramov, originally from New Jersey, reached out to his family from an Israeli bomb shelter on the day of Hamas' attack. His last communication was with his father in the morning around 7.30 am, expressing the harrowing situation, "People are shooting at us," he reportedly said, as shared by Abramov's aunt, Yael Abramov. Eyewitnesses say he was captured and taken away by Hamas militants.
Oriya Ricardo, 26
Oriya Ricardo, 26, was a victim of Hamas' raid on the Supernova psytrance festival attack on October 7. She was the youngest of three daughters. Hannie Ricardo, Oriya's mother, passionately labeled the assailants as "monsters," urging the world to unite and stand against such acts of brutality.
Aryeh Ziering, 27
Aryeh Ziering, aged 27, was raised Israeli, but had American parents. He tragically lost his life while rushing to the aid of an injured colleague. He was heading south from Tel Aviv as the terror attack unfolded on the morning of October 7. Ziering's aunt, Debby Ziering said, "We're shattered."
Cindy Flash, 67
Amidst the chaos, Cindy Flash, a 67-year-old American woman, originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, and her Israeli husband, Igal, disappeared in the violence. Their fate is uncertain and it is presumed that they were also kidnapped by Hamas. Cindy Flash emigrated to the region to be a voice for peace and advocate for Palestinian rights, but was eventually taken hostage by those she was advocating for.