Masked demonstrators displaying Hamas-linked flags and Hezbollah symbolism during a "Nakba 78" anti-Israel protest march through Manhattan on May 15, 2026.

This past weekend we recognized Memorial Day and saluted American soldiers and citizens who defended our country against evil and terrorism across the globe. My son Itay was 19 years old when Hamas murdered him on Oct. 7, 2023. He was the youngest U.S. citizen taken hostage that day. He was an American. He was an Israeli. He was my child.

Almost a thousand days have passed since that morning โ€” 966 days of unanswered questions. Grief does not end with an investigation. But without one, there can be no accountability and no rehabilitation.

I am not writing as a Democrat or Republican. I am writing as a father and as an American who believes this country has and must continue to stand by its citizens.

RUBY CHEN: MY SON IS HOME FROM GAZA, BUT OUR FIGHT IS NOT OVER

The United States has a long tradition of investigating the deaths of its citizens in conflict zones. After four Americans were killed in Benghazi in 2012, Congress launched eight separate investigations, including a bipartisan Select Committee that conducted a two-year inquiry. After 19 American service members were killed in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, the House National Security Committee opened a formal investigation, traveled overseas and issued a detailed public report.

Itay Chen was one of 46 Americans murdered by Hamas. He is seen here with his mother Hagit Chen (left) and father Ruby Chen (right). (With permission from the Chen family)

Four Americans. Nineteen Americans. Their tragic deaths did not go unexamined.

On October 7, 46 Americans were killed on the Gaza border โ€” more than 10 times the Benghazi toll. Yet Congress has not established a formal bipartisan investigative committee.

BENGHAZI ARREST DELIVERS LONG-OVERDUE JUSTICE AND REMINDS AMERICA WHO FAILED OUR FALLEN

The precedent exists. The tools exist. The silence should not.

Every day without an investigation is a day where evidence degrades and memories fade. Digital records disappear. Witnesses relocate.

LAWMAKERS HOLD MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SLAIN OMER NEUTRA AS THOUSANDS MOURN IN HOMETOWN SYNAGOGUE

We are seeking justice, but not only for those who carried out the murders. Also for those who financed, enabled and armed them as well. That requires a serious inquiry with subpoena power and resources โ€” not statements of sympathy.

There is no better time than now. The longer Congress waits, the harder the truth becomes to establish.

I have deep ties to Israel. My son wore the uniform of its armed forces. But unfortunately, for largely political reasons, the Israeli government has not prioritized a comprehensive investigation into the deaths of over 2,000 of its own citizens on October 7, including 46 Americans. Given Israelโ€™s domestic politics, meaningful accountability is unlikely in the near term.

I donโ€™t expect the current Israeli government to change its stripes. However, I am asking the United States to do what only it can: act on behalf of its own citizens.

THE DAY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY, AMERICAโ€™S DEBT TO THE FALLEN STILL REMAINS

On October 7, 46 Americans were killed on the Gaza border โ€” more than 10 times the Benghazi toll. Yet Congress has not established a formal bipartisan investigative committee.

This call is about a simple principle: When Americans are killed in a war zone, Congress has a duty to determine what happened, why it happened and who bears responsibility.

That duty does not disappear because geopolitics are complicated. It does not pause because allies may be implicated. American lives cannot be subject to selective accountability.

For decades, the United States has operated on a clear standard: kidnapping and killing Americans must carry consequences. That principle must apply consistently โ€” whether the perpetrators are terrorists, their sponsors or any official whose decisions contributed to preventable loss of life.

The appropriate mechanism is a formal bipartisan congressional committee, modeled on past precedents. Republicans who champion American sovereignty and the protection of citizens abroad, and Democrats who stand for oversight and accountability, should find common cause here.

Ruby Chen's son, IDF Sergeant Itay Chen was serving along the Gaza border when he was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7. (IDF)

Such a committee would carry the authority of Congress โ€” including subpoena power and investigative resources. Its mandate must be straightforward: Follow the evidence wherever it leads and hold accountable all those responsible for the deaths of American citizens.

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This is not a Democratic demand. It is not a Republican demand. It is an American demand.

Over 966 days have passed. The evidence is aging. The families are still waiting.

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I cannot bring my son back. But I can insist that his death โ€” and the deaths of 45 other Americans โ€” not be overlooked.

Congress must act. Together. Now. For America.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE RUBY CHEN

Ruby is the father of Itay Chen, a 19-year-old Israeli-American who was killed by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023. His body was held by Hamas until November 2025.

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