Israeli soldier suicides surge as Gaza genocide takes psychological toll

At least 10 Israeli soldiers and two police officers have died by suicide since the beginning of 2026, Israeli media reported on Monday. According to Haaretz, the majority of cases are connected to the psychological impact of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In April alone, six active-duty soldiers took their own lives. The report also noted that mental health support days for soldiers have been canceled, field psychologists have been reduced, and commanders are failing to take early warning signs seriously.

Record high in 2025

Israeli sources reported that 22 conscripts committed suicide in 2025 — the highest number in 15 years. Israeli media assessed that the rising suicide rate is directly linked to the psychological pressure caused by the military’s brutal attacks on Gaza. The occupation army has been engaged in a genocidal war that has killed over 72,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since October 2023.

Military’s mental health crisis ignored

Despite the alarming rise in suicides, the Israeli military has reportedly scaled back psychological support services for troops. Soldiers deployed in Gaza and the West Bank face extreme moral injury, post-traumatic stress, and burnout. Critics say the occupation regime prioritizes military aggression over the well-being of its own forces. The growing death toll among Israeli soldiers — 22 in 2025 and at least 10 in early 2026 — reflects the unbearable cost of Israel’s war crimes on both Palestinians and its own soldiers.