On June 11, Hadas Levy made history by becoming the first woman to give birth to a child conceived with sperm from a soldier killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, a war initiated by the October 7 attack that tragically claimed 1,200 lives.
Capt. (res.) Netanel Silberg, Levy’s fiancé, tragically died in combat in Gaza in December 2023. The couple’s first encounter was a blind date arranged by friends in May 2022.
“He was incredibly handsome. He arrived to pick me up and waited for me outside his car, like a true gentleman from a bygone era. He was tall—approximately 1.80 meters (about 5 feet, 11 inches)—well-built, and when he removed his glasses, he revealed the most beautiful green eyes. He was the complete package,” Levy shared with Fox News Digital.
As the full horror of the October 7 massacre became clear, Silberg answered the call to serve. Even though his age and rank exempted him from active duty, he joined the initial deployment of soldiers to the region.
“I consistently urged him not to go, but he was resolute. He went to collect his military gear from his parents and said he would return, but instead, he headed straight to the battlefield,” Levy recalled.
During a leave of absence the following month, Silberg purchased a ring and proposed marriage.
“We became engaged around November, but we didn’t host a party. We never discussed what I would do if something happened to him, because it wasn’t a possibility we considered,” Levy stated.
Silberg was killed in action on December 18, 2023.
“I was at work that morning. I’m not a spiritual person, but I experienced such intense nausea that I had to vomit into a garbage can. I left work early, and it later became apparent that the nausea coincided with the exact time of his death,” Levy recounted.
Because the couple was not married, Levy received no official notification; she learned of Silberg’s death via a phone call from his mother. It was during that conversation that Levy posed the question to his mother, a question that would ultimately ensure his legacy.
“I just remember lying on the carpet and pleading with his mother over the phone to ask them to carry out the procedure to collect Netanel’s sperm. She agreed immediately,” Levy said.
The procedure for collecting sperm from deceased males, once rare, became increasingly common after October 7, as Dr. Eran Altman, director of the sperm bank and men’s infertility clinic at Rabin Medical Center–Beilinson Hospital, informed Fox News Digital. The process is comparable to that performed on living infertile men.
He explained, “In the week following October 7, due to the extensive fatalities, identifying the bodies took time. We received them several days later and attempted to retrieve sperm, but we found that beyond 72 hours, and generally after 48 hours, the sperm is no longer viable.”
Since then, the Israeli army has improved its efficiency in swiftly transporting bodies, ensuring that casualties arrive in their uniforms and equipment to prevent delays in the procedure.
The sperm is preserved in liquid nitrogen at –196 degrees Celsius, where it can remain viable for several decades.
Previously, a court order was mandatory for collecting samples from fallen soldiers. Since October 7, the law has been temporarily amended: the procedure can now be performed without a court order, although the sperm cannot be used without one. Altman’s clinic at Rabin Medical Center–Beilinson Hospital successfully collected eleven sperm samples from Silberg.
During shiva, the seven-day Jewish mourning period, Levy conveyed to Silberg’s mother her intention to begin the process of conceiving using his samples.
“I felt like life was impossible without him and that I couldn’t continue. I believed it was the only living thing I could still acquire from him. I wanted a part of him growing inside me,” Levy expressed.
Levy detailed the difficulties of navigating her pregnancy without her partner. She mentioned having to attend every test alone and explain his absence whenever inquiries about the father arose. With Netanel deceased, she was unable to undergo certain genetic screenings and often relied on his mother for information about his family medical history.
In June, Levy gave birth to her son via C-section at Hadassah University Hospital on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, the same location where she had also undergone insemination, assisted by Dr. Efrat Esh-Broder from the IVF unit.
“I love him for who he is, not merely because he is his father’s son. I chose not to name him Netanel. He is not a memorial,” she told Fox News Digital.
Three months later, her son possesses his late father’s nose and ears. Levy remarked that Silberg would likely have been displeased, as he reportedly disliked his own facial characteristics.
She added, “We already look at pictures of Netanel. He needs to be proud of his father; his father’s story is one of immense bravery. He needs to understand he has a father and a family.”
Levy is frequently approached by women seeking advice on this process. In addition to her, approximately six other widows of IDF soldiers are pursuing parenthood using sperm retrieved from their deceased husbands.
The IDF Widows and Orphans Organization (IDFWO) offers comprehensive assistance throughout this journey, supporting families through the emotional, legal, and medical complexities.
Levy concluded, “You must desire the child for the child’s own sake and not for the father who was killed. This crucial point is sometimes forgotten. A child cannot solely exist as their father’s son; that wouldn’t be fair. To other women considering this, I say go for it. It represents continuity, it is life, and it is truly extraordinary.”