Israel’s Defense Ministry says more than 20,000 soldiers have been wounded since October 2023, with over half developing PTSD or other mental health disorders.
Israeli media reported on Sunday that more than 20,000 Israeli soldiers have been wounded since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, with more than half suffering from psychological conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to official numbers released by the Israeli Defense Ministry.
Figures from the ministry’s Rehabilitation Department show that 56 percent of the wounded have developed PTSD or other mental health disorders.
Nearly 45 percent sustained physical injuries, while about 20 percent are coping with both physical and psychological conditions.
The ministry reported that 99 soldiers underwent amputations and now require prosthetics, 16 were left paralysed, 56 were assessed as having disabilities exceeding 100 percent, and 24 were classified with full disability.
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Reservists account for roughly 64 percent of the 20,000 cases, with around 1,000 new wounded soldiers entering treatment each month.
Hundreds of additional requests are also reportedly being filed by veterans of previous wars.
Altogether, Israel’s rehabilitation system is treating more than 81,000 soldiers, nearly 40 percent of whom—some 31,000—are struggling with psychological trauma.
By 2028, the ministry expects to be caring for nearly 100,000 soldiers, at least half projected to suffer from PTSD and related disorders.
Contradictory Numbers
The figure of 20,000, however, is not consistent with previous statements. The number of wounded soldiers directly contradicts the ministry’s own admission in March 2025, when it revealed that the total number of wounded and disabled soldiers had already reached 78,000.
The figure was made public during a session of the Knesset’s Special Committee on Foreign Workers, chaired by Likud MK Eti Hava Attia, which was tasked with examining the growing demand for foreign caretakers to support injured soldiers and disabled veterans. The session was reported at the time by the Israeli news outlet Walla.
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The discrepancy may point to the use of different definitions: the smaller figure of 20,000 appears to cover primarily battlefield injuries, while the larger figure of 78,000 also includes psychological trauma and long-term disabilities.
However, the reappearance of the lower number in recent reporting, despite continued military operations and daily casualty updates, highlights inconsistencies in Israel’s official accounting.
Ongoing Genocide
Since reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has continued its bloody aerial bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians.
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 64,700 Palestinians, with more than 163,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
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In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(PC, AA, Israeli Media)
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