Report: Thousands of Israeli Soldiers Stepped Down from Combat Roles Due to Mental Distress

The army also revealed a rise in suicides among soldiers, from 17 in 2023 to 21 in 2024 – the highest annual total since 2011. 

Of the 21 soldiers who took their own lives in 2024, 12 were reservists, seven were on compulsory duty, and two were career soldiers.

According to the data, suicide is the second-leading cause of death in the Israeli Army, following operational duty and surpassing illnesses and accidents.

According to a recent report in Israeli outlet HaMakom, increasing numbers of Israeli soldiers are becoming disillusioned with fighting in the Gaza Strip and other areas of conflict in Lebanon and the West Bank, leading some to refuse to return to the battlefield.

According to the outlet, interviews with over 20 parents and fighters in a range of battalions have revealed increasing disatisfaction in the ranks.

CNN has also published an article, titled "He got out of Gaza, but Gaza did not get out of him", reporting that Israeli soldiers returning from war are struggling with trauma and suicide.

The Israeli military has announced it is providing care for thousands of soldiers who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or mental illnesses caused by trauma during the war. It is unclear how many have taken their own lives, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not provided an official figure.

Israeli soldiers who fought in the Gaza Strip told CNN they witnessed horrors the outside world can never truly comprehend. Their accounts offer a rare glimpse into the brutality of what critics have called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “forever war”, and the intangible toll it takes on the soldiers who participate.

Israel’s October 2023-present genocidal war on the Gaza Strip has killed more than 45,500 people, mostly children and women, and injured over 108,000 others.

The figures exclude tens of thousands of dead who are believed to be buried in the bombed-out ruins of homes, shops, shelters and other buildings.

The military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine. The Palestinian territory has been identified as one of the places most likely to see deadly hunger levels in the coming months, according to a new report by United Nations food agencies.

Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its deadly war on Gaza.