The IDF on Thursday released the findings of an expert panel that examined the death of Sgt. Yosef Haim Tzvi Serlin, a trainee in Military Intelligence’s Unit 504, who collapsed and died during a Krav Maga drill on March 26, 2025. The investigation concluded that mistakes and violations of training procedures contributed to the fatal incident, leading to disciplinary action against several officers.
According to the IDF, the inquiry was led by a brigadier general appointed by Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder. Investigators reviewed orders, training protocols and exercise files, and interviewed commanders, soldiers, staff officers and Krav Maga specialists from Unit 504, Training Base 8 and additional units. Testimony was also taken from those present at the drill.
The military said Serlin was participating in a certified hand-to-hand combat exercise when he was injured. Medics attempted to treat him, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterward. The IDF said it would not release medical details out of respect for the family’s privacy.
The panel found “errors and faults” in how the drill was conducted, noting that it deviated from professional guidelines and contradicted directives issued by the army’s chief infantry and paratroopers officer. The incident remains under investigation by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, which is also reviewing the cause of death. Findings will be forwarded to the Military Advocate General and presented to the family once the investigation concludes.
Binder accepted the committee’s conclusions and ordered the suspension of all Krav Maga training until the recommended safety measures are implemented. The panel also urged broader changes in training protocols, particularly in special-operations units.
The IDF announced a series of command sanctions. The brigadier general commanding Unit 504 received a formal reprimand. The lieutenant colonel overseeing the unit’s combat cadre will face a six-year promotion freeze. A captain and a lieutenant were removed from their posts and barred from command roles for two years, and another lieutenant was dismissed from the army.
“The IDF shares the deep grief of the Serlin family and will continue to support them,” the military said.
A family friend, Michael, described Serlin as “an idealistic young man, a leader, from a remarkable family.”
Unit 504, the army’s HUMINT unit, is responsible for recruiting and managing agents for intelligence collection. While less active in Gaza in recent years, the unit has long maintained operations in southern Lebanon and the Syrian Golan, contributing to Israel’s intelligence picture on Hezbollah even without a ground presence there.