MAZAL TOV: Wounded soldier welcomes first son as slain brother Daniel Peretz remains hostage in Gaza

In a moment of profound joy tinged with enduring sorrow, Yonatan Peretz, an Israeli paratrooper wounded in the leg during the brutal October 7, 2023, battles, has welcomed his first son—a milestone that brings light to a family shadowed by loss.

The birth marks a bittersweet triumph for Yonatan and his wife, Galia, who married just a week after his injury in a Nahal Oz firefight, even as his younger brother, Daniel, was listed as missing. Now, over a year later, the Peretz family embraces their first grandson, though their happiness is tempered by the unresolved fate of Daniel’s body, held captive in Gaza by Hamas.

The journey to this day has been one of resilience amid devastation. Yonatan, serving in the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade, was struck by shrapnel during the Hamas assault that killed over 1,200 and saw 251 abducted. A week later, on October 14, he wed Galia from Kibbutz Sa’ad, his leg still healing, while the family clung to hope for Daniel, a tank commander also at Nahal Oz. That hope shattered on March 17, 2024, when the IDF confirmed Daniel’s death on October 7, his remains among the 59 hostages still in Gaza.

Rabbi Doron Peretz, Yonatan and Daniel’s father and a prominent leader in the World Mizrachi movement, opened up to Channel 7 about the complex emotions swirling around this birth. “A lot of joy steeped in the reality of everything that has happened. It’s all mixed together,” he said. “He was born three days after we rose from the shiva a year ago. The day we received the news of the birth was March 16, the date we were informed that Daniel was killed on March 17. It’s an ongoing hardship because Daniel is still kidnapped. This whole open wound continues to be here.” The timing—a mere two weeks after Daniel’s memorial—underscores the family’s delicate balance of celebration and mourning.

For Rabbi Peretz, the past year and a half have been a crucible of suffering and gratitude. “The memorial for Daniel was two weeks ago, and two weeks later, a grandson was born to us. There’s a lot of joy, there’s hope,” he reflected. “From the start, the experiences were steeped in mixed emotions. It was very tough, with a lot of suffering, and also gratitude. From the first day, two sons fought in Nahal Oz. Four hours after Daniel was killed, Yonatan was injured. Yonatan, who was wounded, managed to recover and return to life, even to get married, while his brother was missing—back then, we didn’t yet know he had been killed.” The wedding, broadcast live and later shared widely, captured Yonatan’s determination, a moment of light amid encroaching darkness.

Rabbi Peretz’s voice carries the weight of a father who has lost and gained in equal measure. “The Lord gave and the Lord took. He took Daniel and gave us Yonatan,” he said. “We could have lost two sons in one day, as happened to other families, and that’s why we feel a lot of blessing and gratitude. All the time, I feel difficulty, suffering, and also joy and gratitude—because it could have been much worse.”

The Peretz family’s story resonates beyond their home in Yad Binyamin, reflecting a nation wrestling with the scars of October 7. Yonatan’s recovery and new fatherhood stand as testaments to resilience, yet the open wound of Daniel’s loss—confirmed a year ago yet unresolved—casts a long shadow. As they celebrate this new life, the Peretzes hold fast to hope, continuing to inspire us all.

Mazal tov!

Arutz Sheva contributed to this article.