Latest Suicides Reported

Two female Israeli soldiers died by suicide over the past week, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. One was a combat soldier and the other an intelligence officer, officials said. Israeli Military Police announced they are investigating both deaths. The suicides bring the number of active duty IDF troops who have killed themselves this year to at least 16, Haaretz reported.

Rising Suicide Numbers Among Active Duty and Veterans

The latest deaths underscore a worsening trend. Haaretz reported that Israeli military suicides reached 21 in 2024 and 22 in 2025, the highest annual totals in roughly 15 years. At least nine former soldiers have also died by suicide after completing their service in 2026, according to the newspaper. A report published by the Knesset Research and Information Center found that between January 2024 and July 2025, 279 IDF soldiers attempted suicide, with 36 cases resulting in death. The report stated that combat soldiers made up 78 percent of all suicides in Israel in 2024. [1] [2]

Mental Health Services and Demand

The crisis has been compounded by a gap in mental health resources. Haaretz reported that the military reduced the number of mental health officers available to soldiers despite unprecedented demand for psychological services. Israel's Defense Ministry recorded a nearly 40 percent increase in post-traumatic stress disorder among troops since September 2023, according to Reuters, and predicted that PTSD cases would rise by 180 percent by 2028. An Israeli parliamentary committee found that 60 percent of the 22,300 people being treated for war wounds experienced PTSD. [3] [4]

Causes: Trauma, Moral Injury, and Stigma

Repeated troop deployments since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack and the subsequent ground operations in Gaza have been cited as key factors. Israeli snipers have admitted to systematically killing unarmed Palestinian civilians, including children, at aid distribution sites, according to soldiers quoted by NaturalNews. Such actions contribute to moral injury, a form of psychological distress that occurs when individuals perpetrate or witness acts that violate their ethical beliefs. A persistent stigma around seeking mental health treatment discourages many soldiers from getting care, according to officials. A senior IDF commander told Israeli public broadcaster Kan that “most of the suicides resulted from the complex reality created by the war,” adding, “War has consequences.” [5] [1] [6]

Perspectives from Families and Psychologists

Family members of soldiers who died by suicide have described the psychological toll. After Eliran Mizrahi, a 40-year-old father of four, died by suicide in 2024, his sister told CNN, “He always said no one will understand what [he] saw.” His mother said that “he saw a lot of people die. Maybe he even killed someone. [But] we don’t teach our children to do things like this… so, when he did this, something like this, maybe it was a shock for him.” U.S. psychologist Rachel Kabasakalian-McKay coined the term “complex implication” to describe how individuals can be both victims and perpetrators of harm. “As humans,” she explained in a 2025 interview with Psychology Today, “we can be both victims and perpetrators.” [1] [6]

Broader Context and Divergent Views

Some observers, particularly Palestine defenders, express little sympathy for IDF soldiers who kill themselves, pointing to widespread civilian casualties in Gaza. More than 250,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded by Israeli forces, according to health officials. The International Criminal Court and a United Nations panel have characterized the military campaign as involving war crimes and genocide. Others emphasize compassion for soldiers without excusing alleged crimes. A retired U.S. Army colonel interviewed on a podcast described the ongoing actions in Gaza as “unmistakably genocidal.” [1] [7] [4]

References

1. Brett Wilkins. "Two More Israeli Soldiers Kill Themselves Amid Crisis Driven by Horrors of Genocide." Antiwar.com. July 30, 2026.
2. Staff. "279 IDF soldiers attempted suicide since start of 2024, Knesset report finds." Times of Israel. October 28, 2025.
3. Staff. "Israel Sees Spike in PTSD and Suicide Among Troops." NTD. January 19, 2026.
4. NaturalNews.com. "Israeli soldiers suffering from PTSD with many resorting to self harm and suicide." October 25, 2024.
5. Cassie B. "Israeli snipers admit shooting unarmed Palestinian children at killing field Gaza aid sites." NaturalNews.com. September 17, 2025.
6. Heather Davediuk Gingrich and Fred C. Gingrich. "Treating Trauma in Christian Counseling."
7. Mike Adams interview with Michael Yon. January 25, 2024.

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