Following the recent Hamas attacks, Israelis are rushing to IVF specialists for posthumous sperm retrieval, a procedure that can be performed within 24 hours of death.
The family members of the victims killed during the Hamas attacks on Israel are currently racing against time. They aim to preserve the sperm of the victims for future conception.
What is posthumous sperm retrieval?
Posthumous sperm retrieval is a procedure wherein specialists collect spermatozoa from the testes of a deceased person. However, the procedure has to be done within 24-36 hours of the person’s death.
Although there have been debates over the ethics of the procedure, it enables conception through intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a form of in vitro fertilization.
Regardless of whether the sperm was retrieved from a living or deceased person, the success rate of in vitro fertilization remains the same.
Israeli forces launched attacks against Hamas
The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict was triggered by attacks from Hamas that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis. The attacks have also left many injured.
Following the Hamas attacks, Israel initiated a retaliatory response. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) began targeting Hamas’s military infrastructure. In a recent update, IDF has asked Gaza civilians to move to the south of Gaza City. The defence forces have issued the advisory as the airstrikes against Hamas are set to intensify.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities are still visiting communities to ascertain the actual number of casualties caused by the Hamas attacks.
In light of the significant loss of life, the demand for posthumous sperm retrieval has surged in Israel.
