Israeli radio host Yinon Magal broke down in tears during a live broadcast on 103fm after learning that his relative, Captain Omer Neutra, who was taken hostage on October 7, had been killed. The IDF spokesperson's office had earlier confirmed that Neutra's body is being held in Gaza.
"Ruti, my sister-in-law, is his aunt. My brother is involved in this situation, it's his family," Magal revealed during the broadcast. He and co-host Ben Caspit interviewed Neutra's grandmother, Tamar Tzohar, during which Magal became overwhelmed with emotion and was unable to speak for an extended period.
Tzohar shared the devastating news with the radio hosts: "My daughter received the notification in the U.S. through our liaison officer, and she informed us this morning. The IDF's official message is that he was killed on October 7. We are completely heartbroken."
"For 423 days, we've been running everywhere possible, talking about our Omer - what a prince he was, what a leader he was, how amazing he was," Tzohar continued. "Receiving such news... the word 'devastating' doesn't begin to describe it."
She added that Neutra "was someone who brought people together wherever he went. He was very independent and we saw him less than we would have liked. He was always in the army. Our hearts are simply broken. We hope that at least he didn't suffer during all this time while we were in turmoil, that he rests in peace."
Walla contributed to this article.