The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday released its annual casualty summary for the calendar year ending this week, reporting that 21 soldiers died in suspected suicides in 2025.
According to data from the Personnel Directorate, 151 soldiers died over the past year. Of those, 91 were killed in operational activity or terrorist attacks. In 21 cases, there is suspicion of suicide. Fifteen soldiers died of illness, 17 in civilian traffic accidents, one in a military traffic accident, one in a weapons accident and five in other circumstances, including alcohol abuse or criminal incidents while on leave.
The suicide figure matches last year’s total of 21 cases, compared with 14 in 2022 and a single-digit number in 2020. The military attributes the sustained increase to the prolonged war and its psychological impact on service members.
Of the 21 suspected suicides this year, 13 occurred outside military frameworks and eight on bases. Eleven of those soldiers were in mandatory service, one was a career soldier and nine were reservists. The military said five of the soldiers who took their own lives had previously been treated by mental health officers or had shown indications of psychological distress.
In addition, 15 former soldiers are suspected to have died by suicide after their discharge this year. Their status is expected to be classified as “fallen after service,” a designation determined by a special committee that examines the phenomenon.
“We are preparing for even more complex years ahead regarding the risk of suicide, now that the war has ended but the psychological burden remains heavy,” the military said. It cited expanded monitoring by commanders, faster escalation of warning signs, wider deployment of mental health officers to units and the opening of new treatment centers.
The military said it will continue post-operation mental processing for combat units, alongside oversight measures aimed at learning from each case and incorporating lessons into annual work plans.
Meanwhile, the military and the Defense Ministry have decided to grant “fallen after service” status to soldiers who served during the war and died by suicide within two years of their discharge. The move is intended to assist families and allow them to receive monthly benefits from the Defense Ministry.
The decision followed the work of a special committee chaired by former head of the Personnel Directorate Maj. Gen. (res.) Moti Almoz, which recommended adopting an inclusive approach that examines the link between the circumstances of death and military service.
Under the guidelines, those soldiers will receive civilian burial with military honors, and their families will be accompanied during the mourning period and afterward until a final status determination is made.
The military stressed that the policy is meant to preserve the status of fallen soldiers while also providing recognition and support for families whose loved ones died after completing their service.