Français
Español
English
Portuguese
“Now is the time to cry. We don’t always understand why things happen in our lives, but we must try and learn.”
By United with Israel staff
Crowds gathered at Kiryat Shaul Military Cemetery on Sunday morning to pay their final respects to IDF hero Staff Sgt. Itay Chen.
Chen’s body had been returned to Israel the previous week after 760 days in captivity.
His mother, Hagit Chen, expressed her sorrow, saying, “Itay, I am sorry you had to wait so long to come home. I defended your honor as best as I could. I told everyone for two years and a month how you were a rare, brave, heroic, funny, handsome, and talented young man. Everyone had been waiting for you. It is all so terrible that this is the end. I understand I will never hug you again.”
She added, “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 dear. We will meet again.”
Among those accompanying him was his tank teammate, Matan Angrest, who had been injured in the same incident before being kidnapped to Gaza and came to pay his last respects.
President Isaac Herzog eulogized Chen, saying, “A hero of Israel, finally home.”
He reflected, “We did not know Itay personally, but through meetings with his parents, we learned to connect the wonderful smile from photographs with his exemplary personality, his determination, and his love for the people, the nation, and the homeland that he carried at such a young age.”
On that morning, the tank crew fought dozens of terrorists near Kibbutz Nahal Oz. In March 2024, approximately five months after the attack known as the “Black Sabbath,” the IDF informed the Chen family of Itay’s death. Now, after 760 days in captivity, he had been returned to Israel for burial.
Rabbi Ido Pachter, who had supported the Chen family throughout their ordeal, praised their strength and perseverance, saying, “Now is the time to cry. We don’t always understand why things happen in our lives, but we must try and learn. What must we learn from Itay? He was one of the first fallen and one of the last to return home. He fell during the Torah portion when Moses died and was returned during the portion recalling Abraham’s death. Moses and Abraham taught us how to live as a nation.”
Itay’s father, Ruby Chen, expressed the complex emotions of the day, saying, “How can we stand here at your grave and feel happiness and relief that you have come home? I prayed for another ending, but this was probably the least bad option. You were always strong and stubborn. Even as a young boy, you were always busy, as if you knew your time was short. You were like a lion on the front line of battle.”
Chen, 19, had served as a tank crewman in Battalion 77 of Brigade 7.
He fell in battle on October 7, 2023, and was kidnapped to Gaza alongside tank commander Capt. Daniel Peretz, while loader Tomer Leibovitz had fallen in combat, and driver Staff Sgt. Matan Angrest had been taken alive and released three weeks prior.
The nation shared in the Chen family’s grief and pride. Itay Chen, taken too soon, had finally returned home, leaving behind a story of courage, sacrifice, and love.
His memory is a testament to the strength of his family, the devotion of a nation, and the enduring spirit of a young hero whose brief life left an indelible mark.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
