More than 1,100 IDF personnel have been discharged from service due to post-traumatic stress disorder since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War, according to military figures obtained by Walla.
The data show that 1,135 active-duty soldiers, reservists, and career service members were removed from combat, support, and rear-line positions between October 7, 2023, and July 2025 due to combat-related psychological trauma.
With preparations underway for a major ground maneuver into Gaza City and the continued mobilization of reservists, IDF commanders are warning of a worsening mental health toll on troops.
In response, the IDF’s Medical Corps and Technological and Logistics Directorate have introduced expanded psychological services. Defense Minister Israel Katz was presented with data indicating that around 85% of soldiers treated early for acute stress symptoms by combat stress teams were able to return to duty.
“One of the most difficult issues around PTSD is shame,” said a reservist officer who has served in multiple rounds of fighting since October 7. “Fighters and commanders experience symptoms to varying degrees, but they’re afraid to seek help; afraid of documentation that could hurt them later.”
Israel sees alarming surge in PTSD and suicides among reservists
He called on the IDF and the Defense Ministry to open more treatment frameworks and communication channels to reduce the stigma and provide long-term support.
Ground forces commanders stated that the IDF’s mental health branch had made significant improvements in readiness, treatment, and monitoring before, during, and after combat. “We are constantly surprised by the availability and quality,” one commander said. “But no matter how much is provided, we must keep thinking about the soldiers still on the front lines.”
Among the initiatives introduced since the war began is the establishment of Ta’atzumot branches and clinics, dedicated to treating active-duty soldiers exposed to trauma during combat.
A 24/7 mental health hotline for soldiers and their families is available at *6690, extension 4. Discharged soldiers may contact the Combat Stress Response Unit at 03-640-1400. Career service members in their third year or later can reach the Family Institute for Career Soldiers at *9929.
The Combat Stress Response Unit, operated jointly by the IDF and the Defense Ministry, is also being expanded. Additional branches are due to open in the North and South, alongside a new national center for career soldiers and their families, offering comprehensive psychological and medical care.
The growing mental health crisis within the ranks of the IDF has become one of the most urgent challenges facing the military and the government. The number of reservists seeking psychological assistance has soared from approximately 270 per year prior to the war to around 3,000 annually – a more than tenfold increase. Mental health officers say this reflects not only the intensifying nature of combat but also a slow erosion of the stigma around seeking help.
This spike in demand comes amid a disturbing rise in suicides. The IDF reported that 21 soldiers took their own lives in 2024, the highest number in over a decade. At least 17 additional suicides have already been recorded this year, with most of the victims identified as reservists who returned from combat zones. The case of Daniel Edri, a soldier who died after months of battling war-related trauma, reignited calls for urgent reform in veteran care.
In response to the mounting crisis, the government formed a special committee headed by Maj.-Gen. (res.) Moti Almoz to evaluate and overhaul the current system of mental health support for discharged and active-duty soldiers. The panel includes military psychologists, legal experts, casualty officers, and Defense Ministry officials. One of its central goals is to streamline recognition of combat stress injuries and improve access to timely care.
On the operational side, the IDF has implemented faster response protocols to ensure early intervention. Soldiers now receive mental health care within 24 hours of exhibiting symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, or emotional disconnection – an effort aimed at preventing early stress reactions from developing into full PTSD.