Israel’s military is facing a hidden battle on the home front. Since the war broke out in October, more than 1,100 soldiers have been discharged from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a staggering figure that exposes the deep psychological toll of prolonged conflict.
According to newly released military data, 1,135 active-duty troops, reservists, and career service members have been removed from combat, support, and rear-line roles between October and July because of trauma linked to the fighting.
And with preparations intensifying for a ground manoeuvre into Gaza City, alongside the relentless mobilisation of reservists, commanders warn that the mental health crisis among soldiers is set to worsen.
Expanding Support, But Struggling to Keep Pace
The IDF’s Medical Corps and Technology and Logistics Directorate have rolled out new measures to tackle the crisis, including expanded psychological services and specialised combat stress teams. Early treatment, officials say, has proved critical: around 85% of soldiers treated for acute stress symptoms were able to return to duty.
Yet stigma remains one of the army’s toughest enemies. “One of the most difficult issues around PTSD is shame,” said a reservist officer who has fought in multiple rounds of combat since 7 October. “Fighters and commanders experience symptoms to varying degrees, but they’re afraid to seek help, afraid of documentation that could hurt them later.”
Ground commanders admit the military’s mental health branch has improved dramatically in readiness, treatment, and monitoring. But as one officer put it: “No matter how much is provided, we must keep thinking about the soldiers still on the front lines.”
New Centres, Hotlines, and 24/7 Support
Since October, the IDF has established the Ta’atzumot Branch and Centre to treat active-duty soldiers exposed to battlefield trauma. A 24/7 hotline is now available for troops and families, while discharged soldiers can reach the Combat Stress Response Unit directly.
The IDF, in partnership with the Defence Ministry, is also expanding its Combat Stress Response Unit with new branches in northern and southern Israel, alongside a national centre dedicated to career soldiers and their families.
Alarming Spike in Suicides
But the crisis goes beyond discharges. The number of reservists seeking psychological help has surged from roughly 270 per year before the war to about 3,000 annually, a tenfold increase.
Tragically, suicides are rising too. The IDF reported 21 soldier suicides in 2024, the highest figure in over a decade. Already this year, at least 17 more cases have been recorded, most involving reservists recently returned from combat zones. The death of soldier Daniel Edri, who took his own life after months of battling war-related trauma, has reignited calls for urgent reform.
Government Steps In
In response, the Israeli government has formed a special committee led by Maj.-Gen. (res.) Moti Almoz to overhaul the system. The panel, made up of psychologists, legal experts, casualty officers, and Defence Ministry officials, has been tasked with streamlining recognition of combat stress injuries and improving access to timely treatment.
The IDF has also introduced faster intervention protocols: any soldier showing symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, or emotional detachment is now seen within 24 hours in an effort to prevent acute stress from developing into full-blown PTSD.
A Battle That Doesn’t End at the Front
As the war grinds on, the fight against PTSD has become one of the IDF’s most urgent challenges. For many soldiers, the scars of combat don’t fade when they leave the battlefield, they follow them home. And with discharges and suicides climbing, Israel’s war within may prove as difficult to win as the one beyond its borders.
