Thousands attended the funeral of slain Staff-Sergeant Itay Chen at the Kiryat Shaul Military Cemetery on Sunday, attended by The Jerusalem Post. St.-Sgt. Chen's remains were returned on Tuesday and were identified on Wednesday.
Released hostage Matan Angrest attended the ceremony. Angrest served alongside Chen when they were both taken captive. Now, all members of their crew have returned to Israeli soil.
Chen’s gravesite lay next to that of Omer Neutra, another former hostage slain on October 7th and brought back to Israel. Neutra’s funeral was held on Friday.
The funeral was widely attended, with guests including Angrest, the parents of slain hostages Omer Neutra and Tamir Nimrodi, and several public officials.
Ruby Chen, Itay’s father, eulogized his son, expressing relief that he was finally returned after 760 days as a captive. “I prayed for a different ending, but of all the possibilities that could have happened, of all the scenarios that raced through my mind, this was still the least terrible outcome of them all,” he said.
He discussed how the word “hero” was frequently used lightly. “But you, Itay, together with the Peretz crew—the universe assigned you the most important role of all: to save lives. And today, after 760 days, you finally receive from the people of Israel the hero's medal you deserve,” Ruby Chen said. “Our journey has been a long one to bring Itay home, but we found many allies, good people who felt our suffering and pain and wanted to help us bring the hostages home.”
Ruby expressed immense gratitude to former US President Joe Biden and the support his administration provided to the family, stating that Biden personally called the family once news was received that he likely had not survived October 7. “He called me as a father who knows I am an orphan and spoke to me about how to cope with our loss and said you can call me whenever, even if you just need to talk to someone,” Ruby added. He thanked Trump and the US authorities for their support and commitment to bringing his son home.
“Itay's return saved the lives of my family. And this must happen with all the families whose loved ones have not yet returned. The lives of these families also need to be saved. The families of the deceased hostages need their loved ones back, and certainly the Goldin family, which has become a symbol of nobility,” Ruby said. “I apologize that it took two years to bring you back. I pledge to you—we will hold accountable those who say it was impossible to bring you back sooner and those who, because they dragged their feet for considerations light-years away from national security, caused 42 soldiers and Israeli civilians who were abducted alive to return in coffins.”
Hagit Chen, Itay’s mother, shared heartfelt remarks about keeping her son alive in her thoughts, refusing to say goodbye even after being told he did not survive the battle. “I wouldn't let anyone say ‘may his memory be a blessing’ about you, and certainly not call you a body. You always were and always will be my beautiful boy; Even now.”
She spoke of wanting a different ending; that authorities were wrong and that he would come back alive, leading to vivid dreams of such. “Itay, I hope that wherever you are, you know I did everything and far beyond so you wouldn't remain there in Gaza. And even if it had taken me until I was 120, I would never have given up on you,” she said.
She added that she was relieved that he was brought home while she was alive, not leaving the burden to his siblings. “I know, Itay, that you always wanted us to be proud of you. I'm so proud to be your mother, and I miss you terribly, and I don't know how it's possible to live with such a broken heart,” she said. “Itay, thank you for the privilege and honor of being your parents for 19 years, 8 months, and 5 days. I love you to the heavens and back. Rest well, my beautiful one. We'll meet again.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also eulogized Itay Chen. Turning to the bereaved parents, Herzog stated, “When the bitter news came, you made a difficult, painful decision: not to sit shiva until Itay returned home. You continued your global mission to bring him back. We saw a family of immense strength, of rare nobility and unshakeable determination. Your lives were paused and dedicated to one purpose: bringing Itay home.”
He also recalled the family’s tireless advocacy to bring their beloved Itay home. “You led an extraordinary, almost unimaginable campaign – across the world, at every level of diplomacy and leadership. You entered a critical summit between President Biden and Israel’s Prime Minister and made your voice heard. We spoke and corresponded day and night; your resolve never wavered. I told you more than once: Itay was a hero, and so are you. Itay was our soldier, and I am your soldier.”
Last honors paid in emotional recording
During the funeral, the audio recording of the tank's communication from the morning of October 7 was played. It contained the voices of the team members, Itay Chen, Daniel Perez, Tomer Leibovitz, and Matan Angrest. They were heard saying, "There must not be some kidnapping incident here from Nahal Oz to the Strip, that is our mission. Run him over, they will try to kidnap [someone]."
The recording shocked the crowd as they heard Itay’s final moments with his team, as tears flowed through the crowd.
After the recording was played, Witkoff shared condolences to the Chen family. “I first learned about Itay in a moment when the world was searching for light in unimaginable darkness, a time of heartbreak and unrelenting pain that revealed how love, even under the greatest strain, can become a force stronger than fear,” Witkoff said. “I came to know his parents not just as advocates for their boy, but as living embodiments of love that would not yield. Every conversation, every prayer, every tear shared with them revealed something sacred, that love, when pure, has the power to move nations, to unite strangers, and to defy despair itself.”
“I did not know Itay in body, but I came to know him through the strength of those who loved him. His family's courage, their refusal to let this world forget him, became a beacon not only for myself, but for so many others worldwide,” Witkoff stated. “They reminded us that even in the darkness, light is not extinguished. It waits to be carried by those who refuse to give up.”
Witkoff connected Itay’s death to his personal grief journey over the loss of his son, Andrew. “Losing a child is an ache beyond words, and yet it is through that pain that I found myself drawn to families like the Chens. It was as if Andrew, in some divine way, was guiding me toward those who needed a voice, a hand, a friend. And in helping them, I found pieces of healing for my own soul,” he said.
“In learning about Itay and in walking beside his family through their pain and faith, I found that Itay helped heal a part of my own heart, a part I thought could never be whole again after losing my son Andrew. For that, I will be forever grateful, and I'd like to think that somewhere beyond this world, Itay and Andrew have found each other, two beautiful souls smiling down on us, knowing that through them, we've been able to find purpose within our pain,” Witkoff said. He extended condolences from US authorities and credited US President Donald Trump for securing a deal to bring Itay and other hostages, both living and deceased, back home.
Opposition leader and Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid attended the funeral, as well as US CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, who came to honor the slain captive. “I came to know the void he left behind — that his loved ones felt every second, centimeter, kilo of the time, space, and weight of his absence,” Cooper said. He noted that Itay’s father Ruby stated, “It’s right that he was one of the last to come home. That’s what he would have wanted — to make sure as many as possible came home before he did,” speaking to his character.
“Jewish tradition says a person is not truly gone until the last time someone says their name. I know that Itay and all the deceased hostages will never be gone, because we will continue to say their names,” Cooper said. “Itay’s name means ‘always with us.’ We will say their names; we will tell others, and they will tell others,” he added.
“In the US military… the person coming on duty tells the person coming off duty: you stand relieved. From one former army sergeant to you, I say: Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, you stand relieved. We will stand your post. We have your watch. You are home.”