A reservist in the IDF who had served in the grim task of identifying fallen soldiers was found dead in his home in southern Israel on Sunday night.

Master Sgt. (res.) Ariel Meir Taman, a father of four from a frum family, had worked in the IDF’s Military Rabbinate, where he was responsible for the identification of bodies following the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023.

While the IDF did not officially state the cause of death, several Hebrew-language media outlets have reported the case as a suspected suicide. The IDF said its Military Police have opened an investigation, and the findings will be handed over to the Military Prosecutor’s Office.

Taman’s sister, Bat El, described him as “the purest, most thoughtful, considerate, inclusive boy,” and “the best father… the most perfect husband… one of a kind.” She said he never shared signs of distress. “He was the one who strengthened us… who lifted us up,” she told Ynet. “He always said how holy the fallen soldiers were, and that this was their mission in life.”

Friends and acquaintances echoed her praise, saying that Taman had endured difficult experiences in his army role. One acquaintance told Hebrew media: “He saw very hard things in recent years… He gave of himself to everyone and always put others first.”

Taman’s death comes amid growing concerns over a rise in suicides among both active-duty and reserve Israeli soldiers during the ongoing war against Hamas.

On Monday, Channel 12 reported that Taman’s death brought the suspected number of military suicides in 2025 to 17 so far. The IDF confirmed that 21 soldiers died by suicide in 2024, and 17 in 2023 — with seven of those occurring after the October 7 attack — marking the highest annual tolls since 2011.

Though the IDF typically releases suicide statistics only once a year, the rising number has sparked urgent calls for action. The Jerusalem Institute of Justice on Monday appealed to MK Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, to urgently convene a hearing on the issue.

The IDF has acknowledged that thousands of reservists have withdrawn from combat roles due to mental stress, but military officials insist the rate of suicides in proportion to the number of deployed troops has not significantly increased. Still, critics say the lack of transparency and limited data have hindered a full understanding of the problem.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)