PLAINVIEW, NY – (WIVT/WBGH) A Long Island man, who deferred his acceptance to Binghamton University in order to join the Israeli military, is among the hostages kidnapped by Hamas.

According to the New York Post, 21-year-old Omer Neutra of Plainview, New York is one of more than 100 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.
His parents say Neutra, who has dual American and Israeli citizenship, had been accepted to BU but decided to defer for a gap year and sign up with the Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF.

He was reportedly serving as a tank commander near the Gaza border when the Hamas terrorist attack began.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer mentioned Neutra’s case during a news conference in New York City Friday.

“He went back to join the IDF, was ready to enroll in Binghamton University in a few days and now he’s a capture. He’s a hostage, we have to do everything we can to get the hostages returned safely.”

Neutra’s parents say they last spoke to him on the afternoon of Friday October 6, before the Hamas invasion began.