PNN – A British media outlet has warned of a widening mental health crisis and a “ticking time bomb” of psychiatric disorders within the Israeli military.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; while numerous reports regarding mental health disorders in Israeli society—and specifically within the regime’s military—have surfaced since the onset of the Gaza war, and Hebrew media circles have repeatedly noted that the Israeli army suppresses the release of precise figures on those suffering from such conditions, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph has reported that Israel is facing a “ticking time bomb” of mental illness stemming from the Gaza war and the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.
The British media outlet highlighted reports of three suicides among Zionist military personnel this month—including two women and one man—bringing the total number of suicides in the Israeli army since the beginning of the year to 17, the highest figure in 15 years.
The Daily Telegraph added that, according to data compiled by Clalit—Israel’s largest healthcare provider—these incidents represent merely the tip of the iceberg regarding the mental health crisis gripping Israel.
According to this report, the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the general Israeli population has risen by 70% following the October 7 attacks and the ensuing war. Data from Clalit, covering the period up to June of this year, show no signs of a decline in the figures for this condition.
The aforementioned British media outlet emphasized that the new figures largely align with data from three other healthcare providers in Israel, indicating the existence of approximately 60,000 cases of war-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—cases that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
Post-traumatic stress is a specific mental health condition defined by precise, standardized diagnostic criteria. Symptoms include intrusive thoughts and painful memories, severe anxiety, and prolonged emotional numbness. For many, seemingly ordinary triggers—such as common colors, smells, tastes, and sounds—constantly disrupt and sometimes even paralyze their daily lives. Following World War I, this condition was known as “shell shock.”
Research findings from relevant Israeli institutions indicate that a large number of Zionists have suffered from severe psychological disorders and trauma following the Gaza war, alongside an increase in alcohol and drug addiction.
Post-traumatic anxiety is a type of anxiety disorder resulting from the experience of a shocking psychological trauma. Individuals suffering from this condition also experience physical symptoms such as weakness, nausea, and bedwetting. This psychological disorder became prevalent among Zionist troops following the July 2006 war and the Zionists’ humiliating defeat by Hezbollah. Studies indicate that many Israeli soldiers do not seek treatment for this disorder due to embarrassment and the fear of disgrace.
Following the wars with Lebanon in 2000 and 2006, the rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Zionist troops reached 30 percent, with some soldiers committing suicide. After the war in Gaza, this form of anxiety became a common psychological disorder among the occupying regime’s military personnel.
Citing several Zionist soldiers and psychologists, the Associated Press reported that many Israeli army troops suffering from war-related psychological trauma feel a lack of purpose, have lost their ability to concentrate, struggle to form relationships with others, and are gripped by a growing sense of hopelessness.