A young man was found dead in a public bomb shelter on Tuesday in the city of Bat Yam after people entered the place to take refuge from a missile barrage.
According to sources at the scene, the victim was an IDF reserve soldier who allegedly took his own life, with an investigation by Walla revealing that he was not being treated at the Defense Ministry Rehabilitation Division and was not known to have sought assistance in the past.
The residents at the scene also explained that they called the authorities after finding him with multiple gunshot wounds to his body. No official comment was given by the city of Bat Yam.
In case of confirming that the reserve soldier took his own life, the figure would join a worrying trend: According to the Rehabilitation Division’s data, as of October 2025, 22 soldiers in regular service took their own lives during the year, nine of whom were in reserve service and one in permanent service.
Families of soldiers who committed suicide file petition against Defense Ministry
The situation comes after a group of families of soldiers who committed suicide filed a petition against the Defense Ministry, the IDF Chief of Staff, and other parties, following the conclusions of the Almoz Committee, which determined that soldiers who committed suicide due to mental distress related to service would not be defined as IDF casualties, but as casualties following service.
Nissim Ben David, chairman of the Youth Centers Network in Israel, said: “We have been in combat situations for almost three years, with constant stress, fear, and pressure - and the price is already clear. The question is how much more will we pay until someone wakes up. The state must stop reacting only after tragedies and start leading a real system of emotional support for fighters and young people.”
Omer Amsalem, a combat veteran who has been protesting in front of the Rehabilitation Department for over a year, added: “It is infuriating to hear that another soldier in the reserves has ended his life. Combat veterans and fighters continue to be ignored.”
“There will be thousands more after this war. Many are afraid to even contact the Defense Ministry because they know it will open another war against the system. Without the right framework, people reach their limits, as in the difficult case this morning in Bat Yam.”