Israeli soldier who fought in Gaza, Lebanon commits suicide inside his car

An Israeli soldier, Daniel Edri, took his own life by setting himself on fire inside his car in a forest near Safed, following severe psychological distress after serving in Gaza and Lebanon, according to the Hebrew news site Walla.

His mother said he often transported the bodies of fallen soldiers. “He told me he had witnessed the horrors of war,” she said. “He told me: ‘Mum, I smell the bodies and see them all the time.’”

She explained that his mental health had seriously declined, prompting him to seek medical help. She also noted that he suffered from violent outbursts that, at times, led to the destruction of items in his apartment.

Walla reported that the Israeli army has refused to grant Edri a military funeral, despite his family’s request.

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that the number of soldiers who have taken their own lives since the start of the war has reached 43, due to psychological destress resulting from the fighting.

READ: 31 Israeli soldiers killed by friendly fire in Gaza ground war: Report