https://arab.news/9qf4v
- Army investigation examined letters left by soldiers and gathered details from their conversations with their immediate social circle
- Israeli army fears phenomenon will spread as 7 reservists took their own lives in July
LONDON: An Israeli army investigation has revealed that 16 soldiers committed suicide in 2025 due to harsh combat conditions related to the war in the Gaza Strip.
Soldiers faced harsh realities in Gaza, including witnessing “difficult scenes,” experiencing the loss of friends, and struggling to cope with the prolonged combat. Investigators believe these factors played a significant role in leading the soldiers to take their own lives.
The investigation examined letters left by soldiers and gathered details from their conversations with their immediate social circle. A senior military official told the Israeli Broadcasting Authority that the Israeli army fears the phenomenon will spread, as seven reservists took their own lives in July.
The official added: “Most cases of suicide among soldiers resulted from the complexities (of life) following the war. War has consequences. These (present) difficult challenges; there are quite a few cases.”
The Israeli army is concerned about the increasing number of soldier suicides this year compared to previous years. In 2024, 21 Israeli soldiers committed suicide, including 12 reservists, whereas in 2023, the year that saw the launch of the Gaza war in its fourth quarter, 17 Israeli soldiers took their own lives.
As of July, at least 887 Israeli soldiers have been killed during military operations or in combat with Palestinian armed fighters in the Gaza Strip.