Increased suicide rates hit 'Israel' amid war
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Israeli settlers and soldiers find themselves at risk of suicide and deep psychological trauma and distress as a direct result of their wars on Gaza and Lebanon.
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An Israeli occupation soldier cries during the funeral of combat engineer squad commander Staff Sgt. Zamir Burke, during his funeral at Mount Herzl military cemetery in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
The head of the so-called National Council for Suicide Prevention in "Israel", Gil Zaltsman, warned of a "mental health tsunami" and an increase in suicide cases in light of the war with Lebanon, adding that visits to crisis and mental health centers saw a 40% rise over the past year.
As a result, Zaltsman called for reducing firearm access among settlers and suggested asking whether suicide has been contemplated among those pursuing a firearm license application.
He also called for raises in therapists' and psychologists' salaries, as well as expediting the budget for the Ministry of Education's suicide prevention program, called "I Chose Life", from 2.5 to 5 million shekels.
'Israel' rallies to mitigate suicide rates
In the same context, the head of the Health Committee and Knesset member Yoni Mischeraki (from the Shas party) acknowledged that "the same psychological crises that erupted during those horrific hours [of October 7] continue to affect Israeli society to this day."
He said expanding the national suicide prevention program budget was not sufficient, urging the Ministry of Education to allocate additional funds to the "I Chose Life" program, beyond those provided by the Health Ministry. This also comes with the revelation that siblings of returned Israeli captives do not have any psychological support.
Miri Cohen, the Director of Government Relations and National Programs at the Ministry of Health, warned about the risk of increased suicides as life returns to normal after the war. She said, "At least one person commits suicide every day in Israel, but suicides are often not reported, while other causes of death are."
Around 400 to 500 people commit suicide in "Israel" every year, and approximately 7,000 suicide attempts are reported to emergency rooms annually, Cohen added, noting that the budget for the suicide prevention program was 15.7 million shekels for 2024, with an additional 2 million shekels allocated after activities by the Health Committee.
Tatiana Mazarsky, Member of Knesset and a suicide prevention advocate, warned about the crises faced by those suffering from psychological distress due to any kind of inconvenience, including the replacement or departure of a therapist.
Meanwhile, Haggai Harmesh, director of the "For Life" organization, cautioned about the long waiting periods to secure mental health appointments, as well as the negative stigma surrounding the issue.
Lieutenant Colonel Carmel Keila, head of the Clinical Department in the Technology and Logistics Division, discussed treatment centers for both regular and reserve soldiers, the psychological preparation before combat, and the procedures for post-combat treatment. He also mentioned a special training course for officers on identifying signs of crises and the duty of mutual responsibility.
6 soldiers dead by suicide, thousands at risk
At least six Israeli soldiers have died by suicide in recent months, reportedly due to severe psychological distress caused by prolonged wars in the Gaza Strip and South Lebanon, according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
The investigation indicated that the actual number of suicides may be higher, as the Israeli military has not yet released official data despite promising to do so by the year’s end.
The report also pointed to a deeper mental health crisis within the Israeli army, revealing that thousands of soldiers have sought support from military mental health clinics or field psychologists.
Read more: Trauma, suicide plaguing Israeli soldiers upon return from Gaza: CNN
