2 million Israelis face mental health crisis after 2 years of war in Gaza: Report

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Israel is facing a looming mental health crisis affecting nearly two million people, including large numbers of soldiers, as a result of Tel Aviv's two-year genocidal war in Gaza, local media said.

“Two million Israelis, including many soldiers, now require psychological support from the state,” Yedioth Ahronoth daily said, noting a sharp spike in drug addiction, along with the breakdown of families and entire communities.

The paper said while many Israelis assumed the war had already pushed society into a deep psychological crisis, warnings grew that “a real disaster is still ahead.”

Experts and trauma survivors quoted by the newspaper pointed to a severe shortage of therapists, explaining why the most acute difficulties often surface after the fighting ends. They warned that future generations are likely to pay a heavy price.

Israel’s mental health system is in a long-running crisis that has worsened since the start of the war, with “a severe shortage of staff, long waiting times, and infrastructure unable to withstand the pressure,” the report added.

“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,” said Prof. Merav Roth, a clinical psychologist.

Speaking about addiction trends, Roth said: “In 2018, one in ten people in Israel met the threshold for addiction. Today it is one in four. This rise is frightening.”

Suicide incidents inside the Israeli army have also increased under combat conditions in Gaza. Israel’s public broadcaster KAN documented 279 suicide attempts among soldiers and 36 confirmed suicides from the start of the war in October 2023.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,900 during the two-year war that reduced most of the enclave to rubble.