Sergeant First Class (Res.) Ariel Lubliner, age 34 from Kiryat Bialik, was laid to rest on Monday at the Tzur Shalom Cemetery

Lubliner was killed during the weekend by friendly fire while performing logistical work in Khan Yunis. He was the 900th IDF soldier to fall during the war.

Hundreds accompanied Ariel on his final journey. His wife, Barbera, walked behind his casket holding Lior, their nine-month-old son, and flanked by the family dog. A haunting photo shows the infant crawling beside his father’s fresh grave.

Barbera addressed her late husband: “Thank you for sharing 11 years of your life with me. My love, how will I live without you? We will come here every day, we will spend time together here, all of us.” She added, “This isn’t the funeral that you would want. I’m sorry, you would have wanted a private funeral. But the entire world needs to know who Ariel Lubliner was.”

Ariel Lubliner made aliyah to Israel from Brazil approximately a decade ago, first to Kibbutz Na’an, where he learned Hebrew and met his wife, Barbera, who immigrated from Spain. After seven years, they wed, and four years later, they moved to Kiryat Bialik.

Baby Lior at his father's funeral enlargeBaby Lior at his father’s funeralPhoto: Itay Cohen/Flash90

He was called up to reserve duty after the October 7th Massacre and had served several tours since then. In June, he was called up for another tour, which was scheduled to end yesterday.

An initial inquiry into his death found that while traveling in a logistical convoy to deliver supplies to troops in Khan Yunis, a bullet accidentally fired by a soldier who was securing the convoy killed him.