Lieutenant Alina Pravosudova, an officer in the Southern District of the Home Front Command, tragically lost her life on Saturday during a battle with terrorists at the Urim SIGINT Base.
Regrettably, the IDF only contacted her family two days later, leaving her worried parents in the dark.
On Monday afternoon, when messengers arrived at the modest old building in Haifa's Kiryat Eliezer neighborhood, they had to deliver the heart-wrenching news in person: "The Israel Defense Forces regret to inform you that your daughter fell in combat."
'Disheartening'
"I understand the circumstances are challenging, but the way this was handled on the surface is disheartening," said one of Ilana's friends after the funeral. It has come to light that this isn't an isolated incident, and families of victims and missing individuals have faced prolonged waits for notifications.
Pravosudova, a 23-year-old affectionately known as "Redhead" by her friends, was born in Israel to Russian-Ukrainian immigrants, Olga and Michael. She embodied their dreams for a better future in Israel and excelled in every endeavor: her studies, her passions like ballet dancing, and her dedication to martial arts at her grandparents' Aikido school in Haifa.
"She was gentle but incredibly strong," her mother, Olga Pravosudova, said.
Her mom remains in the dark about the specifics of her daughter's fall.
"We have countless unanswered questions. Her superiors have yet to provide information. We reached out to the army and other authorities, but no one has answers," Olga Pravosudova said.
From Russia to Israel and to the IDF
Pravosudova grew up on Hachashmal Street in the Neve Yosef neighborhood. A few years ago, after the family's move to their current apartment, she began volunteering at the nearby MDA branch, located within walking distance from their home. She left behind her parents, grandparents, and a 15-year-old brother.
Her childhood friends remember her as "the redhead who caught everyone's attention."
During her service in the IDF, Pravosudova ascended from a soldier-fighter in the Home Command to a commander in the Southern Command, an area officer, and an authority tasked with preparing the Bedouin community for emergencies. She relocated to Be'er Sheva to be closer to the Negev residents she served and the base.
Her friends can recount how Pravosudova spent Shabbat at her base near Kibbutz Re'im.
"She was the officer on duty, overseeing the close of Shabbat. Terrorists infiltrated the base, and she engaged in a fierce confrontation with them, ultimately losing her life while shielding her fellow female soldiers. Her courageous actions saved lives, with some still in serious condition and hospitalized," her friends said.
Back at home, her parents and friends anxiously tried to contact her.
"We haven't heard from her since then," two friends, Emily and Karina explained, "but she wasn't reachable. Her boyfriend, who also serves there and was involved in the incident, only mentioned there was an encounter at the base. He was in touch with her when the order came for all base soldiers to return to camp after the initial rocket attack."
Another one of their friends sustained a gunshot wound and was hospitalized at Barzilai Hospital and later Sourasky Medical Center. He has already undergone three surgeries. Unfortunately, his injuries prevented him from attending Pravosudova's funeral, which took place on Tuesday in Haifa, though his parents paid their respects.
This tragic event also brought a halt to Pravosudova's military career, which she had planned for herself after enlisting in 2019 and signing up for service until 2027.
"We will remember her for her radiant smile, her unwavering dedication to volunteering at MDA Carmel," her friends shared. "We'll cherish the memory of her as the 'orange heart' because she was a typical redhead, and we'd joke that her beret even matched her hair color."