New Jersey native, DJ goes missing in Israel as war escalates

NEW JERSEY (WPVI) -- At least 22 Americans have been killed in Israel as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, according to the U.S. State Department.

The conflict began on Saturday when Hamas militants attacked Israel. Now, Americans are concerned about what's going on overseas, especially as some U.S. citizens find themselves in the middle of a war.

In New Jersey, one set of parents is especially devastated since their son has been missing in Israel since Sunday.

Laor Abramov went to the country to DJ at a music festival. He was last seen in a bomb shelter.

"These innocent people were taken by terrorists, by the worst kind of people alive," said his mother Michal Halev.

Halev and her husband David Abramov are desperately hoping to hear from their 20-year-old son since terrorists attacked the music festival he went to.

Laor used to live in Hopewell, Mercer County before moving overseas.

His parents call him a gentle giant and say they can't understand why anyone would want to hurt him.

"We don't know why, what kind of idealism they have that they come to these sleeping babies, to these celebrating young beautiful children, and young people who dance and want to celebrate life and peace and love," the parents said.

Laor was last seen in a photo from a bomb shelter among a group of people. Being 6'4" tall, he stands out among the crowd.

That same shelter is where so many civilians were killed. Hamas terrorists massacred the people inside by throwing grenades and spraying innocent people with automatic gunfire.

Laor's parents say they know this from survivors who are telling their stories.

"We had an eyewitness that survived in the same bomb shelter he was in, that called us after she recovered and talked to us," said David Abramov.

"They just came in and pulled the only ones that were still standing on their feet, and she said she saw him getting pulled and they put him on a pickup truck with a few other guys and drove away," he continued.

That's all Laor's parents know of him, they are still unsure whether he's alive or dead. They fear he is being held in Gaza, which is now under bombardment.

President Joe Biden has said there is an effort underway to rescue Americans who are being held hostage.