12,000 Israeli soldiers in rehab, almost half suffer from PTSD
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Injuries and mental health issues spike among Israeli occupation soldiers amid the genocidal war they launched on Gaza.
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Soldiers during a funeral of a soldier killed in Lebanon, occupied Palestine, Friday, October 18, 2024. (AP)
The Israeli Defense Ministry's Rehabilitation Department revealed that it has received at least 12,000 occupation soldiers since the start of the war in October 2023, including those diagnosed and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Approximately 43% of the 12,000 troops suffer from PTSD, while 14% have sustained moderate to severe injuries, including 23 cases with severe head trauma, 60 cases of amputation, and 12 who permanently lost their eyesight.
It is worth noting that 66% of the occupation soldiers are reservists.
In this context, the former commander of the Northern Corps in the occupation army said that over 800 soldiers were killed, around 12,000 wounded, and thousands were suffering from shock since the beginning of the war.
"We have lost an entire division and need three additional divisions; otherwise, we will struggle to defend Israel," he added.
Moreover, at least 1,500 soldiers were injured twice throughout the war, meaning they received treatment the first time, served again, and then sustained other injuries for the second time. 62,000 veterans are also being rehabilitated from previous wars.
Forecasts indicate that at least 100,000 occupation soldiers will be rehabilitated by 2030, at least half of whom are expected to receive treatment for PTSD.
Trauma, suicide plaguing Israeli soldiers upon return from Gaza
The Israeli occupation has revealed it provides care for thousands of soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or mental health issues resulting from their experiences in the war on Gaza.
The IOF has not given an official number of how many members have committed suicide, but one medic told CNN anonymously that many "do not trust the government right now."
Israeli soldiers who fought in Gaza told CNN that they witnessed horrors that the outside world could never truly understand.
Data show that more than a third of IOF members who have been removed from combat suffer from mental health issues. The Israeli Ministry of Security's Rehabilitation Department noted that every month, over a thousand new soldiers are removed from combat for treatment, with 35% complaining about their mental state and 27% experiencing “a mental reaction or post-traumatic stress disorder.”
By the end of 2024, nearly 14,000 wounded Israeli soldiers are expected to receive treatment with 40% likely to face mental health issues. An IOF medic told CNN that some young soldiers experienced mental trauma and often cried or showed signs of emotional numbness.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that 10 soldiers took their own lives between October 7 and May 11, according to military data. When CNN inquired about the number of suicides in the IOF since the war, Uzi Bechor, a psychologist and commander of the IOF’s Combat Response Unit, revealed it was not permitted to divulge such figures and claimed the suicide rate in the IOF was "stable".
