Heartbreak: IDF Reservist Roi Wasserstein Takes His Own Life
Roi Wasserstein, a 24-year-old IDF reservist from Netanya, took his own life after completing over 300 days of service and witnessing traumatic battlefield scenes during the war.
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Roi Wasserstein, a 24-year-old reservist in the IDF's 401st Armored Brigade, ended his life yesterday after enduring severe psychological trauma during his reserve duty. Despite his extensive service, the IDF has stated it will not recognize him as a fallen soldier, according to journalist Doron Kadosh.
Wasserstein, from Netanya, served in the brigade’s medical evacuation unit and completed over 300 days of reserve duty during the ongoing war. His role brought him face to face with devastating scenes as he evacuated both wounded soldiers and the dead from the battlefield. His last tour ended just two months ago, in late May 2025.
According to those close to him, Roi had been sharing in recent months the emotional toll his service had taken. He reportedly spoke openly about the horrors he had witnessed. On Wednesday, that pain culminated in his decision to take his own life.
ZAKA stated: "ZAKA volunteers from the Sharon Region, Netanya team, concluded their response efforts Wednesday afternoon at the scene of a tragic incident on Ben Gurion Boulevard. The team worked to honor the dignity of the deceased and collected forensic evidence in coordination with local authorities."
As of now, no official from the IDF has contacted the family. Communication regarding his burial has only been relayed through intermediaries, such as the Yad Labanim organization and Chevra Kadisha, informing the family that Roi will not be recognized as a fallen soldier and will be buried in a civilian ceremony. The IDF has declined to take responsibility for the case, citing the fact that Roi did not have an open reserve duty order at the time of his death.
Srugim News reached out twice in the past 24 hours to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. Their response: a civilian who is not on active reserve duty at the time of suicide is not recognized as a fallen soldier, and there are no plans to revise that policy.
Roi's mother spoke to Doron Kadosh. She said, “I raised my children with values, and they followed those values into the army. I have two children in the military. Roi gave his all, but after each reserve duty stint, he didn’t return as the same Roi. We always heard about his heroism from everywhere, his commanders and fellow soldiers, how he acted under fire with courage. And now, instead of sitting and mourning, I have to fight for his recognition? Why? It’s the bare minimum. He did everything, even when he felt it was overwhelming and difficult. He shared his struggles sparingly, never going into details with us. But a mother can see it on his face. I tried to tell him he needed professional support.
I haven’t received a single call from the army until now. Instead of processing my grief, I have to struggle and fight for recognition. Isn’t it obvious that a boy who served in the reserves as a medic should be recognized? It’s obvious. It’s incomprehensible.”
Kadosh added, "While the IDF’s Personnel Directorate (Manpower Directorate) shows appalling insensitivity toward the bereaved family of fallen reservist soldier Roi Wasserstein z”l, failing to send even a casualty officer to speak with the family despite their request over the past 24 hours, some in the IDF are showing basic human decency.
The commander of the 401st Brigade, Col. Meir Biderman, who commanded Roi during reserve duty, called the family a short while ago from inside the Gaza Strip. He pledged to do everything in his power to have Roee officially recognized as an IDF fallen soldier.
Col. Biderman is the first IDF representative to contact the family and he did so on his own initiative."