US-Israeli soldier killed in 7 October Hamas attacks

A dual US-Israeli citizen who was earlier believed to be held hostage by jihadists was actually killed in the 7 October Hamas attacks, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Itay Chen was a soldier for the IDF serving near the Gaza border.

The 19-year-old's body was taken by Hamas after he was killed and remains in Gaza, the IDF said on Tuesday.

Israel says there have been 590 Israeli military casualties since 7 October.

The war began when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

One hundred people being held hostage by Hamas are still believed to be alive, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy wrote on Tuesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

President Joe Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden were devastated to learn of Chen's passing.

"Today, our hearts are heavy," he said in a statement. "I reaffirm my pledge to all the families of those still held hostage: we are with you. We will never stop working to bring your loved ones home."

In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said it shared "in the profound grief of the Chen family".

"Itay loved the land, going on hikes, and was a senior instructor in youth movements - a salt of the earth person," the group wrote on X.

Chen had decided to work at his base on the Gaza border on 7 October to get time off for his brother's bar mitzvah.

His family lost communication with him after he told them his base was under attack.

"No one has been able to physically locate him - he is not in hospital, not on the deceased list," his father Ruby Chen, said at a news conference after the attacks.

Mr Levy said in total, 134 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including 34 who are believed to be dead.

A total of 112 hostages, taken prisoner during the 7 October attacks on Israel, have now been freed. Seventy-eight of them were Israeli women and children, who were released as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas.