Avraham Azulay Funeral Draws Hundreds in West Bank Settlement
Hundreds of mourners gathered in the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar to bury reservist Staff Sergeant Avraham Azulay, 25, who was killed in the Gaza Strip on 9 July 2025 during an attempted abduction by Palestinian fighters in Khan Younis, according to Israeli media reports. Azulay had been serving in a reserve capacity when he was killed.
Azulay was a resident of the Yitzhar hills area in the northern West Bank and, according to regional officials, was the third fallen soldier from that community since the start of the Gaza war.
Eulogies at the Avraham Azulay Funeral
Multiple eulogies were delivered at the service, including from a representative of the Israel Defense Forces and from local community leaders.
A rabbi from Azulay’s community described him as devoted and God-fearing, while a regional council head praised his commitment to both his community and the military.
One eulogy, delivered by a friend of Azulay’s, drew particular attention. The friend recounted that Azulay would tell him, after returning from missions, that “another 200 Arabs won’t return to Gaza, another 500, another 1,000,” and said Azulay took pride in his work.
Some reports have circulated online attributing similar remarks directly to Azulay’s widow, Rut Azulai, in her own eulogy but this attribution could not be independently confirmed through mainstream Israeli news coverage, and appears to originate largely from social media and advocacy accounts rather than verified reporting.
Calls for Retaliation at the Service
According to reporting from Haaretz, mourners at the funeral called for retaliation against Palestinians following Azulay’s death. This reflects a broader pattern seen at military funerals during the Gaza war, where grief has frequently been accompanied by public calls for continued or intensified military action.
Key facts
- Avraham Azulay, 25, a reservist staff sergeant from Yitzhar, was killed in Khan Younis, Gaza, on 9 July 2025 during an abduction attempt.
- He was the third fallen soldier from the Yitzhar community since the war began.
- A friend’s eulogy, not the widow’s, is the source of the widely circulated “200… 500… 1,000” remark, per Haaretz.
- Mourners at the funeral called for retaliation against Palestinians, according to Haaretz.
- Some online claims attributing the remark to Azulay’s widow are unverified.
FAQs:
Who was Avraham Azulay?
He was a 25-year-old Israeli reservist staff sergeant from the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar, killed in Gaza in July 2025.
How did Avraham Azulay die?
He was killed during an attempted abduction by Palestinian fighters in Khan Younis, Gaza, on 9 July 2025.
Who made the “200 Arabs” remark at the funeral?
According to Haaretz, the remark was recounted by a friend of Azulay’s during a eulogy, describing something Azulay reportedly said after returning from duty not a statement made directly by his widow.
Did his widow, Rut Azulai, make similar remarks?
Some social media and advocacy accounts attribute similar language to her, but this could not be confirmed through verified mainstream reporting.
Did mourners call for retaliation at the funeral?
Yes Haaretz reported that mourners at the service called for retaliation against Palestinians.
Context: A Community Repeatedly Affected by War Losses
Yitzhar and the surrounding Samaria settlements have recorded multiple casualties since fighting in Gaza began.
Local officials have used funerals such as Azulay’s to publicly reaffirm support for settlement communities and the military campaign, while critics of the settlements including Palestinian residents of the West Bank say such communities have also been linked to episodes of settler violence against Palestinians, an issue that remains separately documented by rights monitors and is not part of the specific claims addressed in this report.
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