Tel Aviv, MINA – Israel is confronting a severe mental health crisis affecting nearly two million people, including a significant number of soldiers, as a consequence of the two-year war in Gaza, according to local media reports.
The daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that “two million Israelis, including many soldiers, now require psychological support from the state,” highlighting a sharp increase in drug addiction rates alongside the breakdown of families and communities. While many Israelis believed the war had already plunged society into a deep psychological crisis, the report warns that “a real disaster is still ahead.”
Experts and trauma survivors cited in the report point to a severe shortage of therapists as a critical issue, noting that the most acute psychological difficulties often emerge after the active fighting concludes. They cautioned that future generations are likely to pay a heavy price for the current trauma.
Israel’s mental health system, already in a long-running crisis, has deteriorated further since the war began. The system is grappling with a “severe shortage of staff, long waiting times, and infrastructure unable to withstand the pressure,” the report added.
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Prof. Merav Roth, a clinical psychologist, confirmed the widespread distress, stating, “A large part of our population – people who showed great strength and solidarity – now feel distressed and depressed after two years of war. We see it every day, now more than ever.”
Speaking on addiction trends, Roth revealed a alarming increase: “In 2018, one in ten people in Israel met the threshold for addiction. Today it is one in four. This rise is frightening.”
The psychological toll has also manifested within the military. Israel’s public broadcaster KAN documented 279 suicide attempts among soldiers and 36 confirmed suicides since the war began in October 2023.
This internal crisis unfolds against the backdrop of an Israeli military offensive in Gaza that has resulted in nearly 70,000 fatalities and over 170,900 injuries, the majority being women and children, and has left most of the coastal enclave in ruins.[]
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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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