Four Israeli soldiers have killed themselves in less than two weeks following their involvement in the war in Gaza, according to local media reports.
Haaretz reported on Wednesday that two of the soldiers were conscripts on active duty. The other two were reservists who had recently been discharged after weeks of fighting in Gaza.
On Tuesday, a fifth soldier was seriously injured in what appeared to be a suicide attempt, The Times of Israel reported.
Since the war on Gaza began – during which Israeli forces have killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, including at least 17,000 children – there has been a notable rise in suicides among Israeli soldiers.
According to data published in Haaretz, 43 soldiers have taken their own lives since the war began, including 14 this year.
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In 2024 alone, 21 soldiers died by suicide, the highest annual figure since 2011.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid described the rising number of soldier suicides as unbearable.
“This war also kills souls,” he said in a post on X.
Unreported cases
Mental health organisations warn that the actual number of suicides may be higher as many cases remain unreported.
The army’s figures exclude suicides among soldiers who were not on active duty.
Pain, loss, fear, panic, anger: Gaza’s Palestinians are suffering psychological torment
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Haaretz reported that at least 12 individuals have taken their own lives since the war began, reportedly linked to their military service.
Army sources told Haaretz that most suicides were likely linked to exposure to intense combat situations.
The latest suicides come as Hamas has intensified its attacks on Israeli troops across the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, including attempted soldier captures.
At least 12 soldiers have been killed in Palestinian ambushes in under two weeks.
Since the war began, at least 893 soldiers have been killed, including 45 killed since Israel violated the ceasefire on 18 March.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Defence, at least 19,000 more have been wounded.
If you need support in the UK, then the Samaritans can be contacted at jo@samaritans.org or on 116 123. For the US, please try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. For other countries, please see befrienders.org.
