2022 saw increase in IOF soldiers death: Israeli media

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The death of Israeli occupation soldiers has been seeing an upward trend in recent years, with 2022 seeing a particular uptick in contrast with recent years.

44 Israeli soldiers were killed in 2022, an increase from 2020 and 2021, in which 31 soldiers and 28 soldiers were killed, respectively, Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported, citing an annual summary of the IOF Personnel Division.

Reportedly, three soldiers were killed due to operations in the occupied West Bank, with three others dying due to friendly fire during training. Three others died in training accidents, with more dying on duty due to unspecified reasons.

Meanwhile, 14 Israeli soldiers met their demise due to what is suspected to have been suicide, marking a year-on-year increase of three cases.

Ynet reported earlier, that this figure was the highest in years, as 11 soldiers committed suicide in 2011, while 14 soldiers committed suicide in 2012, and 6 cases were recorded in 2013.

The Israeli newspaper indicated that 89 Israeli occupation soldiers committed suicide between 2014 and 2020 with an average of 12 suicides per year, noting that the majority of suicides occurred during service in camps, training, or while returning to their residences.

Yedioth Ahronoth cited senior military sources as saying that "experts could not provide an explanation for this year’s sudden uptick in the number of suicide cases," adding that "an overwhelming majority of suicides are men and most of them don’t leave a letter explaining their actions."

The majority of suicides were recorded among male soldiers, and the Israeli occupation did not reach a clear result explaining the high number of suicide cases, as the soldiers that committed suicide did not leave behind a suicide note indicating why they decided to take their own lives.

It pointed out that the IOF "has in recent years implemented a plan to prevent suicides among soldiers which includes a reduction of access to firearms and increased access to mental health professionals, as well as the provision of instruction tools to commanders."

Another report published at the beginning of 2022 revealed that the Israeli occupation forces newly released statistics witnessed an increase in the number of soldier deaths, as per the Times of Israel.