Stav Basha
Stav Bashaצילום: באדיבות המשפחה

Stav Basha, a squad commander in the 12th battalion of the Golani Brigade, was called to reserve duty on October 7th and died two months later from a heart attack at the age of 22. He was released from reserves a short while before his death and was thus not recognized as an IDF casualty.

Channel 12 News reports that his mother, who immigrated to Israel from Kenya and lives in South Tel Aviv, claims that no official representative of the army or state has visited her during her period of mourning.

"Stav was an only child," said Ayah, a closer friend of the family. "He tried not to worry his mother, and so did not tell her much about what he did during the war. She sent off her child physically and mentally healthy, and as we now understand, it seems he could not handle what he saw. His heart could not take it."

Dor, a close friend of his in reserves, added "He didn't have any health problems, he was the healthiest and happiest person around. It was a complicated period. And there is no doubt that it affected him. Now they refuse to recognize him as an IDF casualty because he was not in the reserves when he died."