At least 18,500 Israeli soldiers injured since outbreak of Gaza war: Media

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

At least 18,500 Israeli soldiers and police forces have been injured since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, local media said Sunday.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Division received 18,500 soldiers and other security forces wounded with varying severity.

However, official Israeli military figures widely differed, saying that only 6,145 soldiers have been injured and 895 others killed.

According to the daily, more than 10,000 Israeli soldiers have suffered from mental health ailments, including 3,679 diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The newspaper said that 9,000 soldiers submitted requests to have psychological injuries recognized, including anxiety, adjustment disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression in 2024 alone.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 59,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his 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 for its war on the enclave.