Four months after he fell in battle in the Gaza Strip, a daughter was born on Tuesday to Sergeant Major (res.) Gideon Ilani, his seventh child with his widow Esti. Ilani, 35, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Asa'el, served as a reservist combat soldier in the Paratrooper Brigade's 2285th Battalion.
Menashe Ilani, Gideon's father and grandfather of the newborn child, shared his mixed feelings in an interview with Ynet. "There's great joy over the baby's birth who will continue Gideon's legacy, but on the other hand, she will be a baby who won't get to see her father. We believe her father watches over her from above, but our emotions are mixed."
So many children have become orphans, how is Esti doing?
"Esti had a fine and relatively easy birth. She's not giving interviews now because she's tired and it's hard for her, so I'm representing her in this matter, but she's doing okay overall. Of course, the main issue is the burden that will come later, raising seven young children, where the eldest is 11 and a half and the youngest other than the newborn is two years old. She needs a lot of help and support with this, and we hope it will be provided for her."
Other than being a family man, Gideon was a smart man with a great future ahead of him. How did you experience the recent months following his fall?
"These months have passed in endless sorrow, but on the other hand, we try to continue with our daily lives and do various things to commemorate Gideon's memory. Ultimately, we continue to live and not allow ourselves to sink down in grief; we press on just like Gideon would have wanted."
In addition to being a dedicated family man, Ilani was on the path to completing his doctorate in astrophysics at Ben-Gurion University. "You always asked for the truth, how to be better, how to add goodness to the world. And all while being humble and quiet, without pomp and circumstance," his widow Esti mourned him at the funeral.
"You were so caring, and considerate, you bridged between different worlds. It pained you to see disputes and divisions, and you always pursued peace. We came from different worlds, and yet we were so similar. It was impossible not to get along with you," she added.
"My beloved Gideon, how can one bury such a great person like you? You had such a unique personality, what a loving and caring husband you were, and what a devoted father you were to our children. Our hearts refuse to believe this, and the tears continue to flow."