Sunday 20/July/2025 – 10:18 PM
Hundreds of people in Israel, the soldier in the Paratroopers Brigade, Dan Samson, who died of his wounds after his suicide attempt, in an accident that highlighted the worsening mental health crisis within the ranks of the Israeli army.
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper explained that Dan, 21, was a “alone” soldier who immigrated from Norway after the rising tensions, after the October 7 War and joined the ranks of the occupation army, where he served the Parachute Brigade until the moment of its suicide.
In his funeral, which was dominated by scenes of sadness and sorrow, his mother stood up, Bia, depositing him and recounted how Dan decided to emigrate to Israel, after it became difficult for him, according to her saying, to be a Jew in Norway, and she said that he saw in Israel a homeland, affiliation and identity, but he committed suicide after what he saw in the war.
The fourth suicide case in less than two weeks
Dan suicide incident is not isolated, as it is four in less than two weeks in the ranks of the Israeli army, and with the increasing unofficial reports of the deterioration in the mental health of the soldiers, the issue has become public concern, especially in light of the occupation army reservations about deploying immediate data.
According to statistics published by the occupation army in the beginning of 2024, 21 soldiers committed suicide since the beginning of the year, compared to 17 in 2023, which is the highest number since 2011, and the data showed that most of the suicides last year were reserve soldiers, but the army made it clear that the increase remains “limited” given the size of the forces.
