Recently released IDF soldier killed in motorcycle accident in Thailand

An IDF soldier who had recently finished a lengthy stint fighting in the Gaza Strip was killed in a motorcycle accident over the weekend while on vacation in Thailand with his family, Hebrew media reports.

The soldier, identified by media reports as Rotem Yaish, served as a commander in the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Batallion and had recently finished a period of reserve duty in Gaza. Prior to that, he had carried out much of his mandatory service battling Hamas in Gaza, as well.

He was killed in a motorcycle accident on Friday on the Thai island of Koh Samui, and his body will be repatriated to Israel later this week.

In a post on Facebook, his uncle Dror Yaish writes that for the past year and a half, his family feared hearing that he had been killed in Gaza.

“You left Gaza like a lion,” Dror writes. “Just last week, you went on a dream vacation, the whole family, in Thailand. What pictures you sent, we were so happy to see you enjoying yourselves together.

“And then on Friday, an hour before the Sabbath, the phone wouldn’t stop ringing and I received the news — Rotem has died. We are in shock and in pain — we can’t digest this news.”

טרגדיה בתאילנד: מצטיין הנשיא שלחם שנה בעזה נהרג בתאונת אופנוע בחופשה

לוחם גבעתי רותם יעיש, שנבחר לפני שנה וחצי למצטיין הנשיא, טס לתאילנד עם משפחתו, ונהרג בתאונה

יהי זכרו ברוך???? pic.twitter.com/P15wlx7LFx

— כל החדשות בזמן אמת (@Saher_News_24_7) January 12, 2025