Israeli Military Grapples With Escalating Mental Health Crisis Amid War Casualties
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the Israeli military, known for its censorship of casualty figures, has disclosed new data regarding personnel losses and injuries since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, as well as conflicts involving Iran and Lebanon. Data published by the Mehr News Agency, citing Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, highlights a significant and unprecedented toll.
The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that at least 9,000 Israeli soldiers and officers have been wounded since the war began on October 7, 2023, followed by hostilities with Iran and Lebanon. This represents a substantial and record-breaking casualty figure.
The Israeli media outlet further detailed that approximately 7,000 of these injured personnel, constituting 77 percent, have returned to duty after receiving treatment. However, the remaining wounded are unable to rejoin the military due to the severity of their injuries.
Avi Shina, head of the Medical Services Division in the Israeli military, acknowledged that the military medical system is confronting a situation of unparalleled scale. He emphasized that the primary challenge begins after soldiers are discharged from the hospital, with rehabilitation and treatment processes being exceptionally prolonged.
Shina elaborated that physical injuries represent only a portion of the crisis, with a majority of soldiers suffering from severe psychological damage.
Yedioth Ahronoth’s report underscored the military’s implementation of extensive measures to provide rehabilitation services to soldiers experiencing severe mental health disorders, yet the crisis persists.
Previous statistics indicated a historic surge in requests from soldiers for psychological support services, with approximately 170,000 soldiers, predominantly reservists, seeking mental health assistance due to war-related trauma.
The Hebrew media also pointed to an increase in suicide rates within the military as an indicator of the depth of the psychological crisis. Sixteen soldiers have died by suicide since the beginning of the year, bringing the total number of suicides since the war’s commencement to 66.
This Israeli media outlet stressed that these figures reveal the profound human crisis within the Israeli army amid multi-front warfare, necessitating further calls for reservist mobilization to compensate for personnel losses.
Information released by the Israeli Ministry of Defense indicates that the number of soldiers suffering from permanent disabilities or service-related illnesses is substantially higher than figures provided by the Medical Services Division, illuminating the devastating impact of the war on the military.
