Graves of fallen soldiers
Graves of fallen soldiersFlash 90

The family of a young IDF recruit who died on his first day in service have accused the Air Force of failing to provide medical care, Voice of Israel public radio reports.

18-year-old Daniel Weissman of Be’er Sheva died this week at an Air Force base in Haifa, just one day after enlisting in the IDF. Weissman had attended an IAF technical school prior to enlistment.

His family has reported that the young soldier sent his father messages on his phone the night before he died in which he wrote that he had fallen and needed a doctor, but that his superiors were not interested in taking him to the clinic.

His father saw the messages only the next morning. He tried to reach his son via text message, but with no success.

That afternoon, military officials informed the family that Daniel had been found near the building in which he served in critical condition, and had died a short time later.

His family said Thursday that they had not yet been given answers regarding the messages that they received in the hours before his death.

An IDF spokesperson said Thursday that Weissman’s cause of death has yet to be determined. The family’s claims will be investigated, the spokesperson said.