(NewsNation) —The parents of an Israeli soldier taken Oct. 7 say they still don’t know if their son is truly dead despite the Israeli government telling them he was killed in the attack. 

Itay Chen, an Israeli soldier, had been stationed on the Israeli border when Hamas launched an attack on Oct. 7.

The government of Israel said he was killed in the attack and that his remains were taken to Gaza, but his parents, Ruby and Hagit Chen, say they still aren’t sure. 

“Hamas have not provided any acknowledgement that, A, that he is in their possession, and B, what his physical status is so we are kind of like in a suspended alternative universe where we just don’t have that 100% confidence that that’s what happened,” Ruby Chen told NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas. 

Hagat Chen said they still “haven’t started mourning” their son nearly two years after the attack. 

The Chens say they are disappointed that the Israeli government hasn’t done more to get the remaining hostages released. 

They added that the Biden administration tried its best to help them, and President Donald Trump made the same commitments to the hostages.