‘Israeli’ soldier commits suicide after fighting in Gaza
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- A 34-year-old ‘Israeli’ tank crewman who fought in Gaza, died by suicide, leaving a letter citing the heavy psychological toll of his time in the strip.
- His death highlights a significant mental health crisis among ‘Israeli’ military personnel, with suicide attempts and deaths surging since October 7, 2023.
Dmitry Shapiro, a 34-year-old ‘Israeli’ tank crewman was found dead last Thursday at the Paratroopers Monument near Beit Elazari in central ‘Israel’, in what authorities have confirmed as a suicide, per Hebrew media.
Shapiro, who had fought extensively in Gaza since October 7, 2023, left behind a farewell letter to his wife, citing a heavy psychological toll.
Shapiro's family described him as “broken” and grappling with severe mental health issues; every since returning from the ‘Israeli’ military in August.
His brother-in-law, Yoav, told Hebrew media that during his time in Gaza, Shapiro exhibited signs of losing control, escapism, and depression.
"He lost it there," Yoav said. "My sister, his wife, kept asking him to get help, and in the letter he left, he wrote that he didn’t do it."
"The state treats it as if they’ve returned to normal life, but the reality is different. He came back mentally broken. He saw death and injuries that destroyed his soul. That’s the price of war,” he added in further criticism.
Suicides rise post-Oct. 7
Suicides surged among the ‘Israeli’ military since Oct. 7, 2023.
A recent report from the Knesset Research and Information Center revealed that 279 ‘Israeli’ soldiers attempted suicide between January 2024 and July 2025, with 36 succeeding in taking their own lives during that period.
The data, which focuses on active-duty personnel, shows a marked increase in reservist suicides: five in 2023, 11 in 2024, and seven in the first half of 2025 alone.
Experts note that these figures likely underrepresent the full scope, as they exclude post-discharge cases like Shapiro's.
Over 20,000 ‘Israeli’ soldiers have been injured since the war's start, with more than half of those cases involving mental health issues like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
