The name of the IDF intelligence officer who was found dead in his prison cell in 2021 is Capt. Tomer Eiges, who served in Unit 8200 and was arrested on suspicion of serious security offenses that harmed state security. Israel Hayom previously revealed the findings of an investigative report into Eiges' death.
The Military Court of Appeals agreed to narrow the gag order and allow publication of the deceased officer's name, personal details and photograph, citing the passage of time, a change in the family's position and the lack of objection from the prosecution. The ban on publishing other details of the case remains in place.
Eiges, the son of Ronit and Ron and brother to two sisters, was considered a gifted child. He was drafted in March 2016 to the Intelligence Directorate and served in a technological unit. In September 2020, a serious indictment was filed against him for security offenses, and a sweeping gag order was imposed on all details of the affair. He was remanded in custody until the end of proceedings, remained in contact with his family and was held in a cell with other detainees.
In the weeks preceding his death, Eiges collapsed twice at Neve Tzedek Prison. On both occasions he was found on the floor showing signs of seizures and confusion, and it was reported that he had swallowed a large quantity of medication. Despite this, he was not placed under supervision. On the night between May 16 and 17, 2021, he was found again in serious condition, evacuated to Laniado Hospital, where his death was pronounced. A blood sample sent for laboratory testing in the US did not reveal an abnormal concentration of medication.
As first reported in an Israel Hayom investigation, during his detention Eiges was treated by an Intelligence Directorate psychiatrist for sleep difficulties and anxiety. Over time, he was prescribed various psychiatric medications and sleeping pills, sometimes in changing dosages and with complex instructions for alternating use. In practice, prison staff failed to understand the instructions properly, and oversight of medication distribution broke down. Eiges received dozens of excess pills and stockpiled them among his belongings.
During his incarceration, Eiges experienced at least three collapse incidents. The first occurred in March 2021 at Prison Six, when he was evacuated to hospital after collapsing and injuring his head. Doctors recommended changing his medication regimen, but their recommendations were not passed on to the treating authorities and were not implemented. About a month later, at Neve Tzedek Prison, he collapsed again in the bathroom and emerged only after a prolonged period, crawling out with great effort. This incident too was not reported as required and did not lead to an examination by a doctor or psychiatrist.
On May 16, 2021, Eiges collapsed for a third time, this time while suffering seizures. Staff response was delayed, medical treatment was slow, and he was evacuated to hospital after a significant delay, where he was pronounced dead.
The Israel Hayom investigation found that the probe into his death, which lasted years and included examinations in Israel and abroad, failed to determine a definitive cause of death. Suicide and foul play were ruled out, but no clear medical cause was identified. A report by the Military Advocate General pointed to a series of serious failures in care and supervision, but concluded there was insufficient basis for criminal indictments and settled for disciplinary and command measures only. The cause of Eiges' death remains unresolved.
In footage taken from prison security cameras about a month before his final collapse and unnecessary death, Eiges is seen crumpling beside his bed. This was not the first time he collapsed in prison. But here, for the first time, the incident was documented and no one intervened. Minutes later, Eiges collapsed again in the bathroom and barely managed to crawl out, dragging himself through the narrow gap between the door and the floor with his last remaining strength.
Eiges tried to signal for help with his hands toward the security cameras, but only 43 minutes after his collapse did a member of the prison staff enter the cell to assist him.
