Your son has protected us all

President Reuven Rivlin paid a condolence visit on Monday to the Levi family, whose son Staff Sgt. Aviv Levi
was killed by a Palestinian sniper fire
on the Gaza border, Friday.

"Your son has protected us all, our safety is entirely based on these young soldiers who bear the burden of protecting our land," Rivlin told bereaved parents. "Thanks to them, we develop our country, it is our strength, and it is also our suffering."

Rivlin met with Levi's parents and siblings, extended family members and girlfriend Shahar Erez.

Rivlin comforts Sgt. The parents of Aviv Levi (Photo: Avi Kanner / GPO)

The Uncle of Aviv told Rivlin the support that the family has received from all over the country. "We are completely embraced, the whole nation came to our aid the next morning (the news of Levi's death burst), a box of bread and vegetables was left outside the door, without the name of the 39, sender, the people of Israel is like.

"I hope that Aviv will be the last fallen soldier," said his mother Perla. "That no mother feels this pain, that no mother will lose her child."

Yaakov, the father of Aviv, told the president the moment when the family received the terrible news during his holidays abroad. "I would like to highlight the warm treatment we received in the most difficult 24 hours of our team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Military Attaché in Italy, who did his job with gentleness and manner to arouse appreciation, "said Mr. Yaakov.

Rivlin visits the Levi family (Photo: Avi Kanner / GPO)

"There is no comfort for your pain," said Rivlin, turning to the extended family. "Your pain – including yours, brothers and sisters, and yours, dear ones -mothers, grandchildren are our heart, and the loss is hard to bear.J hope and I wish you only good news in the future, and we can join you in your Happy time, the whole nation embraces you at this difficult time.

Addressing the girlfriend of Aviv Shahar Erez, the president told him that the Israeli people had been touched by the good-bye message that she had posted on her Facebook page after the death of Aviv and had warmly embraced her.

Erez also received hateful comments to this post from Palestinian users, including: "The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (is there) only to kill the swine", "May you pbad your days at burial places "and" Death to you and your family. "

Farewell message from Shahar Erez to his boyfriend, Sgt. Aviv Levi

Many users have tagged Facebook's direction to draw their attention to hateful comments, leading to hateful comments about Facebook officials' messages against Jews, Israelis, and IDF soldiers.

A few hours later, the Facebook message was deleted – apparently by the girlfriend herself – but the Instagram version remained online.

Facebook replied: "We are dealing with the issue, which is a violation of the rules of our Facebook community is working to protect the security of its users."

Guy Levy contributed to this report.