Biden to address the American hostages in Gaza during SOTU; who are the 6 US citizens still held by Hamas?

More than 134 hostages are still being held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza

Family members of six remaining American hostages in Gaza will be guests of lawmakers at President Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday. 

Thursday will mark five months since the attacks in Israel by Hamas terrorists that killed at least 1,200 people, including 32 Americans. 

At least six American hostages remain in Gaza as the war between Hamas terrorists and Israeli forces continues. 

Several of the hostages' family members will be in attendance at the Capitol on Thursday night as Biden has seemingly put pressure on Israel to accept an immediate six-week cease-fire with Hamas in exchange for the release of more than 134 hostages. Hamas has so far turned down all offers. 

BIDEN UNDER FIRE FOR MIDDLE EAST POLICY; CRITICS CHARGE HE'S PREVENTING 'ISRAEL FROM WINNING'

Edan Alexander, born in Tel Aviv and raised in New Jersey, is being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.  (Hostage Family Forum)

Among the attendees will be the parents of Edan Alexander. Born in Tel Aviv, Alexander grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Tenafly High School in 2022. 

Alexander went to Israel to volunteer for the Israel Defense Forces, serving in the Golani Brigade's 51st Division. He was texting with his mother, who was visiting Israel, on the morning of the attack, telling her he was safe. His family was informed he had been taken hostage the following week, according to reports. His parents are guests of Reps. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J. 

The parents and aunt of Itay Chen will also attend as guests of Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Chen is a 19-year-old Israeli American. He was on active duty in a tank unit on Oct. 7. The Times of Israel reported that Chen was last heard from at 6:40 a.m. the morning of the attack.

Itay Chen, a 19-year-old Israeli American, was on active duty in a tank unit on Oct. 7. (Hostage Family Forum)

Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old Israeli American and a grandson of Holocaust survivors, also remains a hostage in Gaza.

Growing up on Long Island, New York, Neutra is a New York Knicks fan and was the captain of his high school basketball team, volleyball team and soccer team for a time.

Demonstrators in support of Israel gather to denounce antisemitism and call for the release of Israeli hostages on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023. (STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

NEW YORK STUDENT CAPTURED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS WHILE 'SERVING AND PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL,' FAMILY SAYS

Neutra put off plans to go to college in the U.S. to study in Israel as a gap year before enrolling at Binghamton University and joined the IDF. He was serving as a tank commander near Gaza when Hamas attacked. His mother and brother will be guests of Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. His father is a guest of Rep. Tom Suozzi, R-N.Y.

Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old Israeli American and grandson of Holocaust survivors, is still being held hostage in Gaza. (Hostage Family Forum)

Sagui Dekel-Chen, the 35-year-old son of a U.S.-born Hebrew University professor, lived in Nir Oz with his two young daughters and his wife Avital, who was pregnant when her husband was taken hostage. She gave birth to their third child while Sagui was held by Hamas terrorists.

His father and stepmother are guests of Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Greg Steube, R-Fla., respectively.

"My wife, Gillian Kaye, and I are honored to be attending President Biden's State of the Union address," Jonathan Dekel-Chen told Fox News Digital. "We are among the seven families of Israeli-American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza to be invited to the State of the Union."

"This solidarity in support of our families is particularly meaningful to us and reflects the wall-to-wall commitment in Congress and the Biden Administration to free all of the hostages from Hamas captivity," he added. 

Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, is still being held hostage in Gaza. (Hostage Family Forum)

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was taken hostage at the Supernova music festival. He reportedly lost an arm in the attack and had to apply his own tourniquet, witnesses have said. Hersh is the son of Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, both originally from the Chicago area. He was born in Berkeley, California, and then lived in Richmond, Virginia, before immigrating to Israel. 

During the attack, Hersh, his best friend Aner Shapira and others took refuge in a concrete field shelter. Hamas terrorists repeatedly threw grenades at the shelter. Shapira managed to throw seven of the grenades back out before being killed. Hersh had only recently returned to Israel after several months traveling across Europe by himself, occasionally meeting up with his boyhood friends. 

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was taken hostage at the Supernova music festival.  (Hostage Family Forum)

His aunt is attending as the guest of Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill. 

Keith Samuel Siegel, 64, and Adrienne (Aviva) Siegel, 62, woke up to the sound of sirens on the morning of Oct. 7 at Kfar Aza, a kibbutz close to the frontier with Gaza, where they had lived for almost 40 years. 

Grabbing a phone, they rushed to their safe room in their pajamas, expecting to be there for only a few minutes. Instead, they were taken hostage in Gaza by terrorists driving the Siegels’ car. Aviva, who is from South Africa, is a kindergarten teacher. Keith, who is from the U.S., works for a pharmaceutical company. 

The two are close to their four children and five grandchildren and were spending a quiet weekend at home in Kfar Aza, according to family reports. Aviva was later released as a part of the first deal, and she awaits Keith’s return.

SURVIVOR OF HAMAS TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL RECOUNTS PAIN, GRIEF OF LOSING 'ANGEL' BOYFRIEND ON OCT. 7

Keith Samuel Siegel, 64, remains a hostage in Gaza. (Hostage Family Forum)

His niece and sister are attending as guests of Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. and Ted Budd, R-N.C., respectively. 

In late December, it was announced Gad Haggai and Judy Haggai, two Israeli American peace activists, were murdered on Oct. 7, and Hamas is holding their bodies.

Gad Haggai and Judy Weinstein were killed in the attacks on Oct. 7, and Hamas is holding their bodies. (Hostage Family Forum)

Haggai, 73, a retired chef and talented musician, and his wife, Weinstein, 70, an English teacher originally from Toronto, were on their regular early morning walk in the fields near Nir Oz kibbutz when they messaged relatives to say they were under attack. They were shot and badly wounded but were able to call the kibbutz’s paramedic to ask for help, which never came. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Andrea Weinstein, the sister of Judy Weinstein, will attend as the guest of Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. 

Fox News Digital's Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report. 

Load more..