January 18, 2026 | 04:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel is grappling with a rising number of PTSD and suicide cases among its troops after a two-year genocide campaign carried out by Tel Aviv in Gaza. Israeli studies cited by The New Arab indicate that the war has taken a toll on the mental health of soldiers deployed on various fronts.
Recent reports from the Ministry of Defense and healthcare providers have detailed the mental health crisis within the military, amid ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria, as well as escalating tensions with Iran. The conflict in Gaza rapidly escalated, leading to cross-border exchanges with Hezbollah in Lebanon and deployment of hundreds of thousands of reserve troops on both fronts in some of the heaviest fighting in the country's history.
Israeli forces have killed over 71,400 Palestinians in Gaza and about 5,000 in Lebanon, according to Palestinian and Lebanese officials. Israel has reported over 1,100 military personnel deaths since October 7, 2023.
Some soldiers who were attacked when their military base was stormed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, are also struggling. The Israeli Ministry of Defense has noted almost a 40% increase in PTSD cases among its troops since September 2023. Israel projects the figure to rise by 180% in 2028. Of the 22,300 soldiers or personnel treated for war injuries, 60% suffer from post-traumatic stress, the ministry stated.
The government has expanded healthcare services for those facing mental health issues, increased funding, and reported about a 50% rise in the use of alternative treatments. The second-largest healthcare provider in the country, Maccabi, stated in its 2025 report that 39% of Israeli military personnel under its care sought mental health support, while 26% expressed concerns about depression.
Several Israeli organizations, such as the HaGal Sheli NGO, which uses surfing as a therapy technique, have accommodated hundreds of soldiers and reservists suffering from PTSD. Some former soldiers have therapy dogs.
Ronen Sidi, a clinical psychologist leading war veteran research at Emek Medical Center in northern Israel, said soldiers generally grapple with two different sources of trauma. One source mentions "deep experiences of fear" and "being afraid to die" while serving in Gaza and Lebanon, even when inside Israel.
Sidi said the second source stems from moral injury, or the damage inflicted on one's conscience or moral compass due to something they have done. "A lot of (soldiers') split-second decisions are good decisions," he said.
"But some of them are not, and then women and children are injured and killed by accident, and living with the feeling that you have killed innocent people... is a very difficult feeling and you can't correct what you have done."
The Israeli Ministry of Defense stated that it provides direct assistance to soldiers as soon as they begin the evaluation process and has ramped up these efforts since the start of the war. A parliamentary committee in Israel found in October that 279 soldiers had attempted suicide from January 2024 to July 2025. The report found that combat soldiers accounted for 78% of all suicide cases in Israel in 2024.
In Gaza, nearly two million people have experienced overwhelmingly lack of proper shelter, food, and access to medical and health services. As Israel blocked entry to much-needed aid, several Palestinians, including children, died from hypothermia.
The New Arab also cited Palestinian mental health specialists, stating that Gaza residents are suffering from "a volcano" of psychological trauma due to the attacks carried out by Israeli forces. Large number of Palestinians are new seeking treatment, with children suffering from symptoms such as night terrors and inability to focus.
Disclaimer. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a crisis, please reach out to the nearest health institution and/or relevant authorities. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers an exhaustive list of global helplines to assist you in times of crisis at https://www.iasp.info/crisis-centres-helplines/.
If you’re in Indonesia, you can call Pulih Foundation at (021) 78842580, the Health Ministry's Mental Health hotline at (021) 500454, and the Jangan Bunuh Diri NGO hotline at (021) 9696 9293 for mental crisis assistance and/or suicide prevention measures. Into the Light Indonesia also has information about mental health and suicide prevention, as well as who to contact at https://www.intothelightid.org/tentang-bunuh-diri/hotline-dan-konseling/
Read: Israeli Soldier Suffering from Severe Trauma Linked to Gaza War Jailed in Military Prison
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