Israeli soldier who fought in Gaza commits suicide on his wedding day, exposing army’s deep crisis

An Israeli reserve soldier who took part in the genocide in Gaza committed suicide on Tuesday in his apartment in the central Israeli city of Rehovot, on the very day of his wedding, according to the Hebrew daily Maariv.

The paper reported that the 31-year-old soldier was scheduled to be married that evening but was found dead in his home after taking his own life. Ambulance crews arriving at the scene pronounced him dead, and police said circumstances remain under investigation.

The incident adds to what Israeli media have described as an alarming rise in suicides among army personnel, especially reservists, since October 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza.

In early August, a Knesset subcommittee discussed the spike in soldier suicides, citing the heavy psychological toll of fighting in Gaza. The army itself admitted that most cases stem from the severe conditions and trauma faced by soldiers during operations in the Strip. It has since demanded expanded support services and new initiatives to curb the crisis.

According to Israel’s official Broadcasting Authority, at least 18 soldiers have taken their lives in 2024 alone, underscoring the deep internal crisis facing the Israeli army as the war grinds on.

READ: Spain bars 2 Israeli ministers from entering country in tit-for-tat over sanctions