IDF vet who set himself on fire served in Gaza war, suffers from PTSD

Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.

The disabled IDF veteran who set himself on fire suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder following his service in the military during the 2014 Gaza war, the Defense Ministry says.

The ministry says it knows the identity of the 26-year-old man, who is a recognized disabled veteran, but is not releasing the information, in order to preserve his privacy.

The ministry adds that it does not yet know why the man lit himself on fire.

According to the ministry, the man arrived to the Rehabilitation Department’s offices in Petah Tikva with a bottle full of a flammable liquid, doused himself with it, and then set himself on fire in the entryway.

“Defense Ministry security guards acted immediately, using fire extinguishers, in order to give him first aid, and, at the same time, called rescue services,” the ministry says.

The man is in serious condition.

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.