Israeli ministry forecasts 20,000 more soldiers wounded by year-end

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
17 Apr 2024 21:51
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The Ministry of Security in the Israeli occupation government admits that 7,209 Israeli soldiers were injured during the war on Gaza, with 2,111 experiencing "emotional trauma."

An Israeli occupation soldier mourns the death of a fellow soldier in occupied Palestine, July 25, 2014. (AP)

The Israeli occupation's Security Ministry declared that 7,209 Israeli soldiers had sustained injuries, with 2,111 experiencing "emotional trauma" in the wake of the war on Gaza, the Israeli Davar newspaper reported.

Among the "emotionally distressed" soldiers, 1,227 individuals, constituting 60% of those affected, cite emotional issues as their primary concern, accounting for approximately 29% of all wounded soldiers, it added.

Before the commencement of the ongoing war on Gaza, approximately 62,000 soldiers had been wounded in previous wars, with 11,000 (18%), reporting emotional distress, as reported by the Israeli website.

The Ministry of Security further said that out of those 11,000, approximately 8,000 (70%), cited emotional symptoms as their main issue.

SICK AND TWISTED!

This Israeli soldier likes to sniff socks of little Palestinian girls!

An Israeli soldier posted a picture of himself in Gaza holding a young girls sock and wrote in Hebrew which translates to:

"Old hobbies: sports and writing, new hobbies: sniffing a… pic.twitter.com/a2tUYWGdPL
— Palestine and MENA Info Center (@PALMENA_IC) April 6, 2024

Subsequently, the ministry projected that by the conclusion of 2024, approximately 20,000 more Israeli soldiers will sustain injuries throughout the year, with an estimated 8,000 (40%), anticipated to "endure emotional distress."

Israeli media also highlighted that while ministry officials refrained from mentioning politics, it is evident from the attention of top political figures on the matter that the war cabinet is significantly more worried about facing political backlash for neglecting the concerns of disabled veterans at present than they have been previously.

Dive deeper

Last month, Israeli media reported that reservist soldiers in the Israeli army are forced to wait for about two months to receive mental health treatment due to a long waitlist.

At the time, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom said that reservist combatants, who recently turned to "Natal - Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center", were informed that they would have to wait between one to two months to see a therapist.

The extended wait time for mental health assistance among reservist soldiers in the Israeli army is attributed to the increased number of requests from discharged soldiers seeking treatment for trauma and PTSD, as reported by the newspaper.

The newspaper also pointed out that more than 300,000 reservists have been enlisted, with a substantial number seeking mental health treatment upon completing their service.

Moreover, it clarified that "immediately upon the outbreak of war, teams were set up to address combat-related responses, stationed close to the battlefields," with "over 3,000 soldiers passing through these teams since the war began."

Additionally, a rear rehabilitation facility has been established, serving as a hub for intensive and prolonged therapy for soldiers grappling with significant post-traumatic symptoms. According to the newspaper, around 1,300 soldiers have received treatment at this facility.