Bereaved Mother Faces Emotional Moment Renewing ID of Fallen Son in Israel

Maya Elbaz-Avishi, mother of Staff Sergeant Ben Avishi who was killed in combat in northern Gaza, shared a deeply emotional account of renewing her late son's Israeli identity card. Ben's ID had expired about a year ago, but Maya repeatedly canceled appointments at the Interior Ministry out of fear that his name would be removed from her family register. She described the pain of confronting the reality that her son, once listed as "Ben Avishi," was now officially designated as a "fallen IDF soldier" with his date of death, May 17, 2024, recorded on the new ID.

Ben Avishi, 20, from Nahariya, served in the Paratroopers Brigade's communications company. He enlisted in 2022 and participated in key operations including the defense of Kibbutz Nir Am during the October 7 Nova Party massacre. Despite opportunities to avoid frontline duty, he insisted on joining his comrades in Gaza, where he was fatally shot by a sniper on May 17, 2024. His family recalls him as a curious, determined, and independent young man who strived to be the best version of himself.

Maya expressed her heartbreak and longing in a social media post, stating, "You were, are, and always will be my son," and ending with a plea for his return. The publication of her story highlights the personal toll of the ongoing conflict and the bureaucratic challenges faced by families of fallen soldiers in Israel.