The parents of Staff Sgt. Itay Azulai, who was killed in combat in southern Lebanon at age 25, are fighting to use sperm collected after his death to fulfill what they say was his wish to have a child. His father, Eran Azulai, said in an interview with ynet that Itay had raised the idea months before he was killed, and the family immediately agreed when asked, shortly after the fatality, whether to authorize the sperm retrieval.
Azulai said his son was a gifted, hardworking student at Ariel University, a bar manager, an athlete, and someone who balanced studies, work, a relationship and intensive reserve duty. Itay enlisted in 2017, was accepted into the elite Sayeret Matkal unit, later chose to continue in Duvdevan, and eventually served as head of the breaching section. After leaving regular service, he joined reserve Unit 5515, a special forces transport and rescue unit. On October 7, he and his team reported to base before formal call-up orders, fought in the Gaza border area and later in many classified operations in the south and north. He was killed on October 6, 2024, by mortar fire during fighting against Hezbollah near the Lebanese border.
The family says the path to having a child is still blocked by the lack of a clear Israeli law on posthumous reproduction for soldiers, forcing them to seek a court ruling that Itay באמת wanted this. Eran said the family has also taken part in Knesset discussions with other bereaved parents to push for legislation. Even if the court approves the request, the family will still need to find a woman willing to carry the baby, and they are waiting for the legal decision before taking further steps.
Alongside the legal fight, the family is memorializing Itay through a children's book, “Mikhlat HaChalomot” (“Dream Shower”), written by his unit friend Ido Lasri. The book draws on Itay’s well-known obsession with cleanliness, his improvised field showers, and personal items such as his necklace and bracelet. Eran said the book reflects his son’s ingenuity and habits, including the story of Itay emerging clean from the field with only shampoo, which inspired the project.
