6 Israeli soldiers commit suicide; thousands seek mental health care
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Israeli troops are grappling with mental health challenges amid the genocidal war they launched on Gaza and the ongoing aggression on Lebanon.
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Soldiers during a funeral of a soldier killed in Lebanon, occupied Palestine, Friday, October 18, 2024 (AP)
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.
Among the atrocities committed by the IOF since October 7 last year, entire families in Gaza have been wiped out, neighborhoods have been pulverized, mass graves have been dug up, cemeteries have been destroyed, shops and businesses have been bombed, hospitals and morgues have been flattened, tanks and bulldozers ran on dead bodies, jailed Palestinian detainees have been tortured with dogs and electricity, detainees have been subjected to mock executions, and many Palestinians have even been subjected to sexual abuse.
In one instance exhibiting sadistic behavior during the genocide, Israeli soldiers taunted Palestinian detainees by claiming they were playing football with their children's heads in Gaza or that they killed their entire family members or even raped their women.
Other Israeli troops have live-streamed hundreds of videos of soldiers looting Palestinian homes, destroying children's beds, setting homes on fire and laughing, wearing undergarments of displaced Palestinians, and stealing kids' toys.
As part of their ongoing genocide, Israeli troops did not even spare babies, medics, athletes, and journalists from their atrocities, killing a record number of them, unprecedented in any war in this century.
According to the report, around a third of soldiers affected reportedly exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The investigation further suggests that psychological trauma among soldiers may surpass the number of physical injuries sustained during the war.
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Lucian Tatsa-Laur, head of the Israeli military’s mental health department, noted in March that approximately 1,700 soldiers had already received psychological treatment. “The full extent of this mental health crisis will only become clear once military operations are completed, and troops return to normal life,” the expert highlighted.
Reports suggest thousands of Israeli troops are grappling with mental health challenges following extended deployments in Gaza and southern Lebanon. These mental health crises among Israeli soldiers are occurring against the backdrop of escalating Israeli atrocities in the region, including ongoing airstrikes on Gaza and South Lebanon, amid extended service periods. Israeli occupation forces have killed over 44,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, in Gaza since October 7.
The ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza has drawn international condemnation, with critics labeling the airstrikes and blockade on Gaza as ethnic cleansing. "Israel" is also facing genocide charges at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza.
In a landmark announcement, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant for charges of war crimes in Palestinian territories, including Gaza.
The Israeli war has also spread into Lebanon, where "Israel" has launched deadly air strikes, killing at least 3,645 martyrs and injuring 15,355.
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