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When Michel Illouz slowly made his way through the throngs beneath the Mediterranean pines and palm trees at the graveyard in Ra'anana, a community located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tel Aviv, he expressed gratitude to as many attendees as possible.

He had extended an welcoming message to the local community to accompany his loved ones in mourning his twenty-six-year-old son, Guy, whose body had been repatriated from Gaza on Monday.

Overwhelming Response

Numerous people answered the request. They occupied the avenues, accompanied the funeral vehicle carrying his body, and converged on the cemetery in such significant numbers that the original plan to hold the service indoors had to be canceled.

Rather, the gathering was held outside, set to the sound of avian melodies.

Notable Occasion

This marked the initial burial ceremony since the last 20 living hostages were returned from Gaza, accompanied by several deceased individuals. A further twenty-one of the fallen captives remain missing, but at the very minimum this family now had a designated location to grieve and commemorate their son, according to close acquaintances.

Sorrowful Account

Guy Illouz, a artist and recording specialist, had been shot in the back at the Nova music festival during the Hamas offensive on October 7, 2023. Prior to the incident, he had reached out to his father from a sheltered spot to tell him he cared; to offer final words. He was seized, and based on those captured simultaneously, he subsequently passed away from his trauma due to lack of treatment.

Relative's Viewpoint

A family friend of the Illouz relatives, Michelle, in her fifth decade, commented that it had been extremely important to them that people attended today. The Illouz relatives, comprising Guy's siblings and brother, had observed shiva, the extended period of bereavement, after learning of his death in December of the year before. But now that Guy was finally back with them, they needed "people around them again."

"It warms my heart that you attended," said Michel. "This means everything to us."

Dad's Eulogy

He turned to his son. "My Guy-shuk," he uttered, using a term of endearment, "it's hard for me to imagine the days ahead without you. They snatched you from me – they murdered you – they captured my essence and stole my identity and destroyed my spirit and feelings."

"I feel empty inside since that pointless violence by those evil terrorists when they apprehended you and commanded you to turn around, and then simply fired two gratuitous rounds into your posterior."

Ultimate Parting

"Thus I stood this morning, driving to Abu Kabir identification center to verify your remains and say goodbye. They took off the covering, and the primary view I saw was that familiar expression, that positive outlook, that calm demeanor and nobility that so defined you."

"I reached out, tried to smell you, tenderly touched all areas in your body. I observed you, I was in private with you, and yes, I felt with complete conviction that it was you. Yes, I know, Guy-shuk, that you've rejoined our family. You've come back to your relatives' care, to all your close associates, and to the numerous individuals whose feelings your narrative affected."

Parental Resilience

Throughout the beginning phase of the service, Illouz had concentrated completely on comforting his younger children. He stroked the hair of his daughters, supported his male child, demonstrated love and gathered his emotions for them. But then his voice broke.

Cherished Memories

"I'll miss so much traveling with you through this country, experiencing your company, hearing your music, relaxing in mountainous areas and activating the stove to create the drink the way only you knew how – 'Dad, do you see the coffee froth? You have to simmer it carefully, let the foam rise, then simmer it additionally. Stir the coffee with rotating movements' – and then your smile while tasting the beverage and your delight in every single drop."

"Before I left Abu Kabir today, I fulfilled my commitment. I observed you, breathed you in one final moment, and yes, I bestowed affection on the front of your head. I was able to see your attractiveness even in the situation in which you returned to us."

Closing Statement

"My dear son, I adore you completely, I love you. I will miss you every second and brief period of my existence. Be at ease, my sweet one, repose after a passage of two years through unfamiliar realms to us. I care for you, my beloved son, my cherished eldest child."