IDF soldier takes his own life after struggling with mental health from Oct 7, Gaza war
Daniel Edri, an IDF soldier, took his own life on Saturday in the Biriya forest near Safed, the town where he grew up.
He had been struggling with severe mental health issues as he tried to cope with the pain, images, and smells that haunted him from his experiences in Lebanon and Gaza.
In addition to the traumatic images, Daniel, who turned 24 last month, was also devastated by the murder of two childhood friends at the Nova music festival—Eliasaf Ben Porat and Gabriel Yishai Barel. He had tried to reach Re'im to help them on October 7 but was unable to.
Edri's family says that their deaths stayed with him and caused him ongoing pain.
He was the third of four siblings and lost his father at a young age. His mother, Sigal, is urging the state to honor her son with a military funeral. So far, her request has not been approved.
She said Edri wanted to enlist, and when he was called up for reserve duty, he felt fulfilled. He was discharged from the IDF about five months ago.
According to Sigal, Edri served long periods as a combat support soldier in both the southern and northern sectors.
He told her that he had transported the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers several times.
"He told me he saw horrors and said, 'Mom, I can't stop smelling the bodies, and I see the bodies all the time,'" she recalled.
IDF soldier dies by suicide after serving in Gaza, Lebanon
Sigal told Walla that his mental health condition worsened over time, leading him to seek support. Edri initiated the recognition process with the Defense Ministry and received both a stipend and treatment. There were days when he fell into severe fits of rage, sometimes even destroying his apartment.
Edri was afraid he might hurt himself; last week, he asked to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Staff at the hospital told him to wait and assured him that he would be transferred to a nursing home soon.
"Time was against him, and he could no longer bear the pain," his mother said, crying.
"At least in his death, he will find rest and respect and receive the honor he deserves for his sacrifice. He deserves a military funeral."
The IDF responded, stating that according to Israeli law, an IDF martyr is someone who dies during their military service, whether on active duty or during reserve service.
"The late Daniel Edri was not in active or reserve service at the time of his death, and therefore, he cannot be recognized as an IDF martyr and is not entitled to a military funeral," the IDF said in a statement.
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