A 19-year-old lone soldier from Norway died Sunday, five days after attempting to take his own life during basic training.
Pvt. Dan Mandel Philipson, a recruit in the Paratroopers Brigade, sustained critical injuries in a suicide attempt last week and died from his wounds, the military said. He will be laid to rest Sunday afternoon at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem. His family has asked the public to attend the funeral.
Philipson was born and raised in Norway and immigrated to Israel less than a year ago to volunteer for military service through Mahal, a program for Jewish and non-Israeli volunteers. He trained for three months at Michve Alon, an educational base for new immigrants, before joining the 202nd Battalion of the Paratroopers—fulfilling what his adoptive Israeli family described as a dream.
“He was a disciplined, outstanding and beloved soldier,” said Yossi Shneor, who hosted Philipson through a lone soldier support program. “He was part of our family—he spent Shabbat meals and holidays with us, we cared for him during illness and hard times, and we stood with him at his swearing-in at the Western Wall. Dan died too soon, in the middle of his training.”
Philipson lived at Kibbutz Be’erot Yitzhak and took part in “Reut,” a program for lone soldiers in Israel, who serve without immediate family in the country.
He is the fourth soldier to die by suicide in the past two weeks. The military does not publish real-time suicide statistics, releasing updated figures only once a year. That policy has drawn criticism from advocates who say the issue remains underreported.
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According to data released earlier this year, 21 soldiers took their own lives in 2024, up from 17 the previous year—the highest numbers since 2011. Most of the 2023 cases involved reservists. The military said the rise was not statistically dramatic when considering the overall number of active-duty and reserve troops.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In Israel, contact ERAN at *1201. In the United States, dial or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.