Tragedy in Rehovot: Reservist Takes His Life Hours Before His Wedding 

A 31-year-old reservist was found dead from a gunshot wound in his Rehovot apartment Tuesday morning - on what was supposed to be his wedding day. Magen David Adom paramedics who responded to the scene were forced to pronounce him dead on arrival, per Israel National news.

The circumstances of the incident are under investigation, but the tragic timing pints to a growing mental health crisis among Israeli reservists who have served in Gaza since the October 7th attacks.

This latest death continues an alarming trend of suicides among reservists struggling to cope with their wartime experiences.

Just last month, Reserve Captain Yosef Chaim Ashraf, 28, from the 99th Reserve Division's reconnaissance unit that fought in Gaza, was found dead in the Swiss Forest near Ramat Poria. Authorities believe he took his own life.

In late July, the military community was shaken by the suicide of Roi Wasserstein, a 24-year-old reservist from Netanya who served as an evacuation medic with the 401st Armored Brigade. Wassarstein had served in a medical evacuation unit and participated in particularly difficult operations involving the evacuation of wounded soldiers and casualties from battlefields.

Since the war's outbreak, he had served more than 300 days of reserve duty, finishing his last rotation just two months before his death in late May 2025. According to testimonies from friends and family members, Roi had spoken in recent months about extremely difficult experiences during his service, struggling to cope with the harsh scenes he witnessed.

Days before Wassarstein's death, another reservist, Ariel Meir Taman, was found dead at his home in Ofakim. Taman had worked in the grim task of body identification during his military service. Since October 7th, he had been part of the IDF's body identification system and was struggling with mental health issues. A military police investigation was opened to examine the circumstances of his death.

The string of suicides has raised urgent questions about the military's mental health support systems and the resources available to reservists dealing with combat trauma. Mental health professionals emphasize that with proper support and intervention, these tragedies can be prevented.

The military and civilian authorities face mounting pressure to address this crisis before more families are devastated by losses that could have been prevented with adequate mental health care and support systems.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, help is available. In Israel, contact Sahar - Emotional First Aid Hotline at 1201 (available 24/7). In the US, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.