Israeli Soldiers Who Flee Gaza War Sentenced to Prison
the english section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Al Mayadeen, reported that Israeli media revealed the army has discharged four soldiers from the Nahal Brigade.This followed their declaration of mental unfitness to return to battle in Gaza due to trauma sustained in previous engagements.
Additionally, kan News reported that the Israeli military sentenced three soldiers to prison terms ranging from one week to twelve days. The dismissals also include a ban on any future combat missions for these four discharged soldiers.
Psychological Shock
An army spokesperson stated these cases where handled “sensitively and according to regulations.” He emphasized that the military takes refusal to follow orders-especially during wartime-very seriously and stressed the importance of maintaining discipline.
Meanwhile, incidents of suicide within Israeli forces have increased since the start of fighting in Gaza. A joint study by Tel aviv University and the military found that 12% of soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As October 2023, suicides have exceeded 43 cases among soldiers-a trend described by Israeli news channel i24 as a worsening mental health crisis threatening the structure of Israel’s armed forces.