29 July 2025
At least 18,500 Israeli soldiers and police forces have been injured since Israel’s onslaught on the Gaza Strip was launched in October 2023, according to Israeli media.
In addition, it is estimated that within two and a half years, there will be about 100,000 wounded and disabled soldiers, at least half of them with mental health problems, the Ynet news website reported.
These figures were obtained from the Freedom of Information Movement, which sourced the data from the Israeli army, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said.
The report added that the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Division received 18,500 soldiers and other security forces wounded with varying severity.
However, official Israeli military figures widely differed, saying that only 6,145 soldiers had been injured and 895 others killed.
Soldiers Disabled
According to the report, more than 10,000 Israeli soldiers have suffered from mental health ailments, including 3,679 diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The newspaper said that 9,000 soldiers submitted requests to have their psychological state examined, including for anxiety, PTSD and depression in 2024 alone.
Until recently, the estimate of “100,000 disabled” soldiers was linked to the Ministry of Defense’s forecast for 2030 and included casualties from all of Israel’s wars. However, most of them have been struggling mentally since October 7, 2023, and in the months since then.
In recent months, there has been a rise in the number of soldiers who are suffering mental distress and seeking help, the report stated.
Depression, PTSD
The army said that since 2024, around 9,000 soldiers have requested assistance for their state of mental health, which can manifest itself in anxiety, adjustment difficulties, PTSD or depression, the report added.
Source: Palestinechronicle
