Israeli Studies Report Rise in PTSD and Suicide Since 2023

A survey by Maccabi Healthcare Services found that about one-third of Israelis believe they need professional mental health support. Among current and former soldiers the share is higher. Israel's Defence Ministry reported a near-40 percent rise in PTSD cases among soldiers since September 2023, with a projected 180 percent increase by 2028.

The government has not published the number of soldiers discharged for mental health reasons over the same period, despite a legal obligation to do so.

Adom, Israel's paramedic service, launched a dedicated mental health emergency line earlier this month after calls rose 45 percent. Most calls were linked to the strain of multiple ongoing conflicts. The Jerusalem Post reported that 78 percent of military suicides in 2024 were connected to combat operations in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Lebanon.

Domestic violence and depression have also increased since October 2023.

Herzog said in late May that violence is increasing and warned of a "terrible process of brutalisation" entering mainstream society. An Israeli mental health practitioner and combat veteran told Al Jazeera that October 7, 2023, shattered public confidence in security institutions.

" An Israeli sociologist told Al Jazeera that violence has been present since Israel's founding in 1948 and that October 7 gave existing trends new momentum. A Tel Aviv University professor who has studied trauma for 40 years said its long-term effects on Israeli society remain unclear.