Israel military suicides reach 15-year high as Gaza conflict takes psychological toll

Suicide rates within the Israeli military and law enforcement agencies have surged to their highest levels in 15 years, according to data documenting a sharp upward trend since the beginning of the Gaza conflict in October 2023.

Data published by the Haaretz newspaper indicates that the propensity for suicide within security units has continued to rise throughout the war. Since the beginning of 2026, at least 10 active-duty soldiers have taken their own lives, with six of those cases occurring in April alone.

During the same period, three former soldiers who had served as reservists during the war, but were not on active duty in April, also committed suicide. Additionally, two police officers—including a Border Police member performing mandatory service—died by suicide in April.

Haaretz emphasized that these figures confirm a sustained increase in suicide cases across Israel’s defense establishment. Military sources told the newspaper that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struggle to implement effective preventative measures, particularly in scenarios where soldiers experiencing psychological distress do not seek treatment.

Psychological impact of war exceeds projections

A senior official within the IDF Manpower Directorate admitted that the military initially believed the situation was under control at the start of the war, but the consequences have proven far more severe than anticipated.

“At the beginning of the war, we thought we had the situation under control, but it blew up in our face,” the official said.

While some officers within the Directorate linked the high number of suicides in April to the atmosphere of mourning surrounding Israel’s Memorial Day, mental health experts dismissed this explanation as insufficient. They noted that no such surge had been observed during the same period in previous years.

Experts argued that the protracted nature of the war has placed an unprecedented burden on a limited number of soldiers, severely deteriorating their mental health and creating the conditions for the current crisis.

Cuts to mental health support programs

Activists working with personnel suffering from military-related psychological trauma told Haaretz that, contrary to the military’s public statements, the scope of mental health support has been narrowed.

According to the report, the military canceled psychological evaluation and reintegration meetings for reservists—originally planned to take place before their return to civilian life—in February 2026. While these programs were later reinstated following a defense budget increase after the conflict with Iran, the application of the program has not covered all units.

The newspaper reported that some soldiers serving on the northern border and in the occupied West Bank were discharged in recent weeks without any consultation with specialists.

“Sending us home like this is sheer irresponsibility,” one soldier told the newspaper. “Billions are being spent on munitions and air defense systems; is this the area where they are choosing to save money?”

Reservist mental health officers emphasized that the reinstated meetings remain inadequate for soldiers who have served hundreds of days throughout the war. One officer noted that these processes are often not conducted by clinical psychologists. “It is a start, but it is truly not enough,” the officer said. “It is like putting a Band-Aid on a bleeding major artery.”

Neglect of post-traumatic processes

Haaretz reported that mental health support in the field has also weakened. Some soldiers reportedly left active service without receiving any specialist support following incidents in Southern Lebanon involving loss of life.

Furthermore, some psychologically injured soldiers were reportedly recalled to duty without assessments regarding their fitness for service. Previous reports have indicated that some commanders pressured soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to return to duty, even threatening them with arrest.

The former head of the IDF mental health clinical unit pointed to the current situation as a critical warning sign, emphasizing that the current trends no longer represent a mere caution but a “real alarm.”

Sharp statistical rise following October 7

In the decade preceding October 7, 2023, the average annual number of suicides in the IDF was recorded at 12. Following the start of the war, these figures rose rapidly. Between October 7 and the end of 2023, seven active-duty soldiers took their lives. This was followed by 21 cases in 2024 and 22 cases in 2025—the highest level in 15 years.

The newspaper noted that official statistics only include active-duty soldiers, excluding those who commit suicide after being discharged. An IDF review at the end of 2025 identified 15 such cases, while Haaretz has identified at least four more since then, including three in April.

Cases directly linked to combat experience

The military has identified a direct link between combat experience and several suicide cases. These include Eliran Mizrahi, a reservist bulldozer operator diagnosed with PTSD after months of service in the Gaza Strip; a reservist paramedic who treated the wounded at the Nova festival site; and two UAV operators.

One of the UAV operators reportedly told those close to him that he “could no longer withstand the horrors of war,” while the other took his life shortly after a UAV crash.

Those who committed suicide in April include a reservist from the elite Shaldag commando unit, a combat soldier from the Kfir Brigade, a 23-year-old career soldier in the armored corps, and a reservist medic from the 646th Brigade.

Among those who took their lives while not on active duty were Yohanan Eliyahu Fredj, a 38-year-old who served in the Carmeli Brigade, another combat soldier from the same brigade, and a reservist who served in the Air Force Intelligence Directorate.

In a statement to Haaretz, the IDF maintained that it views the mental health of its personnel as part of operational readiness. The military claimed that the mental health system has been expanded since the start of the war, with hundreds of experts deployed to various regions providing support to tens of thousands of soldiers. The IDF added that every suicide case is rigorously investigated.