Six Israeli soldiers commit suicide, thousands more undergo psychiatric treatment – 5 pillars

At least six Israeli soldiers have taken their own lives in recent months, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth revealed yesterday, citing severe mental suffering caused by the protracted wars in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon as the main cause.

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. 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.

In March, Lucian Tatsa-Laur, head of the Israeli army’s mental health department, told Haaretz that about 1,700 soldiers had received psychological therapy.

Since then, multiple reports have emerged indicating that thousands of soldiers are suffering from mental health problems due to prolonged deployments in Gaza and southern Lebanon.

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.

Since October 7, 2023, over 800 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat.

The second year of the Gaza genocide has drawn growing international condemnation, with figures and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid supplies as a deliberate attempt to destroy the population.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its deadly war in the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday, the International Criminal Court announced it had issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in the Palestinian territories, including Gaza.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel carrying out deadly attacks across the country, an escalation after a year of cross-border war between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of the war in Gaza.

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