Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza is leaving traumatized soldiers behind and has contributed to a sharp increase in Israeli soldier suicides, according to a series of interviews conducted with soldiers and veterans by The Associated Press (AP). The Israeli defense ministry itself says that it has documented nearly 11,000 soldiers suffering from “mental health injuries” since Oct. 7, 2023.
An average of 13 Israeli soldiers took their own lives every year prior to the outbreak of war. Since then, that number has risen to 21 per year, the AP reports.
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The AP notes that this figure only includes documented suicides of active soldiers. It does not include a number of veterans who took their own lives after leaving the military.
A report also found that an additional 279 Israeli soldiers tried to take their own lives between January 2024 and July 2025 but survived.
