The former police officer who self-immolated outside of the home of the Defense Ministry's head of the Rehabilitation Department last month has succumbed to his wounds, Hadassah-University Medical Center announced on Wednesday.
Vital Mishayev, 46, set himself on fire in front of a senior Defense Ministry official's car and then jumped on it. He suffered full-body burns from the incident and had been hospitalized at Hadassah-University Medical Center until his passing.
The Defense Ministry had recognized him as a disabled veteran after he was injured during service in 2013. He suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
The Defense Ministry called his death a "tragic outcome" of his self-immolation.
The ministry stated in a press release that Mishayev had been offered "full rehabilitation support, an extensive financial safety net, medical care, and psychological assistance.
Defense Ministry condemns 'shocking and severe act of self-harm'
"The choice to commit such a shocking and severe act of self-harm, as well as violence toward a caregiver, is not a solution, even in moments of extreme crisis," the ministry noted in a press release.
Mishayev had been involved in several violent incidents since his 2013 accident. The ministry approved him for a 30% disability recognition from Israel's National Insurance Institute, including PTSD and physical disability.
Army Radio's Doron Kadosh reported that he spent at least the past two years attempting to obtain 100% disability recognition and benefits, including entitlement to housing solutions, but was unsuccessful.
He is survived by his three children.
Between January 2024 and July 2025, 279 IDF soldiers attempted suicide, an October Knesset report revealed.
Also, for every soldier who died by suicide in that time frame, there were seven more documented attempts of a soldier who tried to end their own life, according to the report.
Keshet Neev contributed to this report.