German ambassador eulogizes Itay Chen at funeral: ‘Millions of us feel pain and relief’

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

Mourners attend the funeral of slain IDF officer and hostage Itay Chen at Kiryat Shaul Military Cemetery in Tel Aviv, November 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Mourners attend the funeral of slain IDF officer and hostage Itay Chen at Kiryat Shaul Military Cemetery in Tel Aviv, November 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

German ambassador Stefan Seibart eulogizes Itay Chen in Hebrew and speaks of the closeness the German Embassy felt to the family, at the slain hostage’s funeral in Tel Aviv.

“The impossible pain, to know for sure that he died as a hero and will never return, and the moment we hoped would take place, his burial, after we heard he had been killed,” says Seibart. “Next to that pain is the relief — millions of us feel that way, pain and relief.”

Seibert says the Chens were admirable fighters, and “I think you worked even harder with the Americans.”

He mentions the other five families “waiting for what you have now, the ability to mourn as needed —  I hope they will have that as soon as possible.”

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