Israel, do not abandon those suffering from trauma - editorial

A handful of research, reviews, and data have come out in the aftermath of October 7, exposing the mental health crisis Israel is currently experiencing, and it is devastating.

Out of the thousands of lone soldiers who have served in the reserves since the start of the war and who need treatment, only 500 have received treatment.

The Hostage Family Forum revealed that the psychological harm of captivity was as great or greater than the intense physical harm suffered by the hostages.

Around half of the Israeli public does not feel safe in public spaces. Some 63% of female respondents reported not feeling safe in a study by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, compared to 42% of men.

Professionals who receive answer calls of distress from the Israeli population on a daily basis warn that in light of the continuation of the wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond, they expect an increase in suicide risk rates, according to a University of Haifa study.

In January, Walla reported that 1,600 IDF soldiers had shown symptoms of combat-related PTSD since the start of the war. Of those, 76% returned to combat duties after receiving treatment from mental health officials attached to their units stationed near combat zones.

So many are suffering from the consequences that war has; not only war, but watching friends, family, and loved ones be decimated on October 7.

Suicide rates

Eliran Mizrahi, a 40-year-old father of four, reported for duty to the Gaza Strip shortly after the October 7 massacre. He did not come back the same, his family told CNN in October.

Mizrahi struggled with PTSD for six months after his return and died by suicide shortly before he was supposed to be redeployed.

Shirel Golan, a survivor of the Hamas massacre at the Nova music festival, was found dead in her apartment on her 22nd birthday later that month.

According to her family, Golan suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the horrific events she experienced at the festival on October 7, when Hamas invaded Israel, massacring some 1,200, including in the Nova Music Festival area, and kidnapping around 250.

Her family said they did not receive adequate assistance from state authorities to get her the necessary treatment to deal with her experiences.

Indeed, the state has not been prioritizing support for the survivors of mass casualty events such as the Nova Massacre.

In November, it was revealed that the state would stop funding psychological assistance to the families of hostages who have returned from captivity.

According to the law, as soon as a hostage returns, the captive’s family is no longer entitled to psychological assistance financing. Still, the National Insurance Institute (NII) has not implemented this procedure so far, and now the families have received a notice that the assistance will stop.

Combat navigator Maj. (res.) Asaf Dagan was another reservist who took his own life earlier this year. His sister, Inbal, criticized the government over what she called its outdated, absurd policies regarding traumatized war veterans.

She emphasized her mother’s relentless efforts to help Asaf, noting that her pleas to the Defense Ministry and various other organizations fell on “deaf ears.”

“According to the outdated protocols of the Defense Ministry… Asaf was supposed to ‘reach out by himself’ to ask for help,” she wrote.

The state, simply put, cannot abandon those suffering from trauma. We are in a critical time in which the needs of soldiers, for example, are written on the wall; they are not yet post-traumatic, but rather, still within the trauma itself. The state has an opportunity and an obligation to get ahead, prepare, and tackle the issue head-on.

Unlike previous mass casualty events, many victims and their families were exposed to real-time footage through social media, creating the need for trauma treatment that addresses both direct trauma and digital exposure.

Many survivors were evacuated to different locations across Israel, creating a need for coordinated mental health services across multiple jurisdictions.

The volunteer first responders who handled body recovery faced particularly graphic scenes, requiring specialized mental health support that bridges both psychological and religious perspectives.

Children need long-term support that helps them rebuild their sense of safety.

Act now, Israel — before it’s too late.