The parents of an American-Israeli hostage being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention this week to campaign for the immediate and complete release of the approximately 120 hostages being held by the U.S.-designated terrorist organization.
Ronen and Orna Neutra are the parents of Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old Israeli tank commander who was kidnapped by Hamas during an Israeli attack on October 7 and has been held captive for nearly 300 days.
The Neutras, who live on Long Island, are scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.
The comments came after President Biden said both Hamas and Israel had agreed to the principles of a ceasefire deal but negotiators were continuing to work out the details of implementation.
The three-phase ceasefire agreement will begin with a six-week hiatus in fighting between Israel and Hamas, during which Hamas will release hostages it considers to be the most vulnerable, starting with women, the elderly and the wounded.
Hamas has held at least eight Americans, including the bodies of those killed, since kidnapping them from southern Israel on October 7. Two Americans, a mother and daughter, were released on October 20 as part of confidence-building measures leading up to a larger hostage release that took place over a week in late November.
Former President Donald Trump, who is considered a potential Republican presidential nominee, has criticized the Biden administration for failing to secure the release of American hostages held by Hamas. Trump has not voiced support for a ceasefire, instead calling on Israel to “finish the job” in Gaza and has held off on whether to support the establishment of a Palestinian state, a key pillar of Biden’s three-phase ceasefire agreement.
