Israel army records rise in soldier suicides amid military onslaught on Gaza

Israel’s operation in Gaza has also led to a significant spike in overall military fatalities, making 2023 and 2024 some of the deadliest years for the Israeli occupation army in decades. According to the data, in 2023, 558 Israeli soldiers lost their lives, including 512 in military activities.
Additional causes of death in 2023 included accidents, which claimed 16 lives – two in training mishaps, four in civilian car crashes, five in military vehicle accidents, one from an accidental weapon discharge and four in other incidents. Ten soldiers succumbed to illness.
Among the suspected suicides in 2023, 17 cases were identified, involving seven Israeli conscripts, four career soldiers and six reservists. The army reports that while the total number of military fatalities decreased in 2024 compared to the previous year, suspected suicides have risen significantly.
According to army data, 21 Israeli soldiers are suspected to have taken their own lives in 2024, including seven conscripts, two career soldiers and 12 reservists.
All 38 suspected suicides recorded in 2023 and 2024 involved male Israeli soldiers.
Across Israel, the suicide crisis extends beyond the military. More than 500 people die by suicide annually, with over 6,000 attempting to take their own lives. The Ministry of Health acknowledges a likely 23 per cent under-reporting of these figures, suggesting that the true scale of the crisis may be even greater. Within the occupation army specifically, suicide was reported as the leading cause of death among soldiers in 2021, with at least 11 soldiers taking their own lives that year.
Despite the mounting evidence of severe psychological trauma among Israeli soldiers and the devastating personal toll of the genocide in Gaza, recent surveys indicate that only six per cent of Israelis believe that the military operation in the besieged enclave should be halted.