Hana and Peretz, the grieving parents of fallen soldier Yosef Yehuda Chirak, spok about their son's unique spirit and character on Kan Bet.
The 22-year-old, a soldier in the 601st Engineering Battalion, was killed in an incident still under investigation. He is the first casu lty since the beginning of Operation Gideon's Chariots.
His parents recalled his infectious energy and role as the "glue" of the family. His mother, Hana, expressed the deep sorrow of losing a son she described as a "gift for 22 years."
In an emotional revelation, his father, Peretz, shared his final conversation with Yosef Yehuda just hours before his death. “He seemed down that day,” Peretz recalled, adding that he tried to uplift his son, telling him, "Keep the joy, that's the most important thing."
Yosef Yehuda, who had been married only seven months to Emuna, leaves behind his parents, three sisters, and an extended family. His fall brings the total IDF casualties since the beginning of the war to 857.