The report found that six Israeli soldiers died by suicide and thousands received psychiatric treatment

Asia-Pacific Report

Israel’s main daily newspaper has claimed the lives of at least six Israeli soldiers in recent months Jediot Ahronoth disclosed, citing as the main cause the serious mental suffering caused by the protracted wars in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon, Anadolu Agency reports.

An investigation suggests the actual number of suicides may be higher because the Israeli military has not yet released official figures, despite promising to release them by the end of the year.

The report highlighted a broader mental health crisis in the Israeli military.

Regional tensions have increased following Israel’s brutal offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 44,000 people, mostly women and children, since last year’s Hamas attack.

Thousands of soldiers sought help from military mental health clinics or field psychologists, and approximately one-third of those affected showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The study concluded that the number of soldiers who suffered psychological trauma may exceed the number of soldiers who suffered physical injuries during the war.

The daily, citing experts, claims that the full scope of the mental crisis will become clear after the end of military operations and the soldiers’ return to normal life.

About 1,700 soldiers were treated
In March, Lucian Tatsa-Laur, head of the Israeli military’s Department of Mental Health, told another Israeli newspaper: Haaretz, that approximately 1,700 soldiers were provided with psychological care.

Since October 7 last year, as reported by Anadolu, the Israeli military has allegedly murdered families in Gaza, pulverized neighborhoods, dug up mass graves, destroyed cemeteries, bombed shops and businesses, razed hospitals and morgues, run over tanks and bulldozers over corpses, and tortured imprisoned Palestinians using dogs and electricity, subjected detainees to mock executions and even raped many Palestinians.

Displaying sadistic behavior during the genocide, Israeli soldiers taunted Palestinian prisoners by claiming that they played football with their children’s heads in Gaza.

Israeli soldiers live-streamed hundreds of videos of soldiers ransacking Palestinian homes, destroying children’s beds, setting fire to and laughing at homes, wearing the underwear of displaced Palestinians and stealing children’s toys.

In their mission to “erase” Palestine, Israeli soldiers killed a record number of children, doctors, athletes and journalists – a feat unheard of in any war this century.

But as the news agency said, it comes at a cost.

Australia blocks former minister
Meanwhile, they were Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has been banned from entering Australia over fears of “incitement”.

Shaked, a former MP from the far-right Yamina party, was scheduled to appear at a conference organized by the pro-Israel Israel and Jewish Affairs Council of Australia (AIJAC).

However, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs informed the former minister on Thursday that she had been refused a visa to enter the country under the Migration Act.

The bill allows the government to refuse entry to people who may “denigrate Australians” or “incite discord” in the local community.

In an interview with Israeli media, Shaked stated that the ban was due to her vocal opposition to a Palestinian state, reports Eye of the Middle East.

She also previously called for the removal of “all two million” Palestinians from Gaza.