Rising Toll of IDF Suicides Sparks Urgent Calls for Action

By: Abe Wertenheim

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was plunged into mourning again on Tuesday morning when news broke that a 32-year-old reservist soldier, scheduled to be married that very day, was found dead in his apartment. According to a report that appeared on VIN News on Tuesday, friends who had come to escort him to his wedding discovered his body, with a gunshot wound, and immediately called emergency services. Magen David Adom paramedics arrived quickly but were forced to declare him dead at the scene.

While investigations are ongoing, the circumstances are being treated as a likely suicide. The incident has struck a particularly raw nerve in Israeli society, not only because it involved a soldier preparing to begin a new chapter of his life, but also because it underscores a deeply troubling trend that has accelerated since the horrors of October 7, 2023. According to multiple Israeli media outlets cited by VIN News, nearly 50 IDF soldiers have died by suicide in the past year—an alarming figure that represents a sharp and unprecedented rise.

The tragedy of the unnamed reservist soldier encapsulates the complexities of service in today’s Israel. He had just celebrated his 32nd birthday at the end of August, a milestone marked with family and friends, before preparing for his wedding day. Instead of joy, the day ended with grief for his loved ones, whose celebrations were transformed into mourning within hours.

The soldier’s comrades, who had come to escort him to his marriage ceremony, found themselves faced with an unthinkable scene. “They arrived at his apartment with laughter and music, only to discover unbearable silence and tragedy,” one acquaintance told VIN News.

The IDF confirmed his death, noting that the family had been notified and would receive the army’s full support. An investigation has been opened by the Military Police, with findings to be transferred to the Military Advocate General once completed.

This was not an isolated case. Just last month, another combat officer serving in the reserves was found dead in northern Israel under circumstances also treated as suicide. The IDF issued a statement expressing sorrow for the family’s loss and pledged to continue providing support.

“Every fallen soldier is a deep wound for the army and for Israeli society,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said. “We share in the family’s grief and are committed to understanding the causes of these tragedies so as to prevent further loss.”

But despite the reassurances, statistics speak volumes. Nearly 50 soldiers have ended their lives since October 7, according to figures cited in the VIN News report. That date marks the beginning of the current war against Hamas following the unprecedented massacre in southern Israel, which left more than 1,200 Israelis dead and hundreds kidnapped. Since then, the psychological toll on both active duty and reservist soldiers has grown heavier with each passing month.

The spate of suicides has sparked alarm across civil society. On Tuesday, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) issued a formal appeal to MK Boaz Bismuth, the newly appointed Chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, urging him to convene an emergency session to confront what it described as a “dramatic and unprecedented increase” in suicides among IDF personnel.

In a letter quoted by VIN News, Dr. Adv. Guy Akoka of the JIJ wrote: “Following a dramatic and unprecedented increase, both in data and in the number of suicide cases and suicide attempts among soldiers serving in regular or reserve duty, due to symptoms of post-trauma and severe psychological distress, I hereby request, as the incoming chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, that you convene an emergency session on this issue in the coming days.”

The JIJ emphasized that the rise in suicides is a national security issue as much as a humanitarian one, warning that psychological trauma left untreated undermines the IDF’s operational readiness and morale.

The tragedy of 24-year-old Daniel Edri, who took his life three months ago, exemplifies the hidden wounds haunting many soldiers. According to reports highlighted by VIN News, Edri had celebrated his birthday only weeks before ending his life in Biriya Forest near Safed, where he had grown up.

Friends and family say he struggled with post-traumatic stress linked to his combat experiences in Lebanon and Gaza, which left him unable to escape the painful memories of battle. But his anguish was compounded by personal grief: two of his childhood friends, Elyasaf Ben-Porat and Gabriel Yishai Barel, were murdered at the Nova music festival massacre on October 7.

Edri had wanted desperately to rush to Re’im to help, but circumstances prevented him. The guilt and grief weighed on him heavily. “He was tormented by the feeling that he had abandoned his friends, even though there was nothing he could have done,” one relative told reporters.

Edri’s story, like that of Tuesday’s reservist and many others, reveals how intertwined combat trauma and personal loss have become for Israel’s young soldiers.

Suicide among soldiers is not new, but the scale seen since October 7 has shocked both military and civilian observers. The VIN News report noted that military psychiatrists and social workers have been working around the clock to meet demand, but resources are stretched thin. The IDF Mental Health Department, which has historically faced criticism for bureaucratic delays and insufficient staffing, is under intense scrutiny as suicide rates climb.

Experts point to several contributing factors:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): The sights, sounds, and smells of combat have left lasting scars on soldiers, particularly those who fought in urban warfare in Gaza or witnessed the aftermath of Hamas atrocities.

Extended reserve duty: Tens of thousands of reservists have been called up for months on end, disrupting family life, careers, and mental stability.

Social isolation: Many soldiers feel misunderstood or unsupported by broader society, especially as debates over the war’s conduct grow more polarized.

Grief and survivor’s guilt: Soldiers who lost comrades or friends in the October 7 massacre or subsequent battles often carry an unbearable sense of guilt.

Civil society has begun mobilizing in response. Organizations like NATAL—the Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center—and One Family Fund have launched hotlines, therapy programs, and community support groups. Synagogues and local councils have also stepped in, organizing counseling sessions for families of reservists.

But as the VIN News report stressed, there is growing recognition that piecemeal efforts are insufficient. The IDF, Knesset, and government ministries must coordinate on a comprehensive national plan to address soldiers’ mental health.

Some proposals being floated include:

Expanded mental health staffing within the IDF, with psychologists embedded at the battalion level.

Mandatory post-deployment screenings for all reservists.

Financial stipends for families of soldiers who exhibit signs of severe distress, enabling them to access private care quickly.

Peer-support programs modeled after U.S. veteran initiatives, pairing struggling soldiers with comrades who have undergone treatment successfully.

The rise in suicides is not just a military crisis—it is a national tragedy touching nearly every sector of Israeli society. Funerals of fallen soldiers, whether killed in battle or by their own hand, draw thousands of mourners. Communities are left grappling with questions about whether more could have been done.

As one rabbi told VIN News following the burial of a soldier last month, “We are losing our sons twice—once to the enemy on the battlefield, and once to the invisible wounds they carry home.”

The symbolism of Tuesday’s case—a groom who did not live to see his wedding day—has made the crisis all the more urgent. It reflects a broader truth: the battle for Israel’s survival is not only fought against Hamas rockets or Hezbollah missiles but also against the silent epidemic of despair among its defenders.

The IDF remains one of Israel’s most trusted institutions, and its soldiers are widely revered. Yet the mounting number of suicides is shaking public confidence and demanding accountability. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir will face increasing pressure to address the crisis.

As VIN News reported, the tragedies unfolding across Israel highlight the urgent need for systemic reform. Emergency hearings in the Knesset may be a start, but families of the fallen are demanding more than words—they seek action, resources, and recognition that psychological wounds can be as lethal as bullets.

The stories of Daniel Edri, the 32-year-old reservist, and dozens of others are a sobering reminder that the war’s casualties extend far beyond the battlefield. Unless urgent measures are taken, the toll of suicide could continue to climb, leaving families shattered and a nation searching for answers.