Occupied Palestine (QNN)- Official data from the Israeli army show a sharp and alarming rise in suicide cases among Israeli soldiers since the Gaza genocide began on October 7, 2023. The numbers reflect deep psychological pressure linked directly to assaults in Gaza.
According to the army’s figures, 7 soldiers died by suicide between October 7 and the end of 2023. In 2024, the number jumped to 21 suicides. Since the start of 2025, at least 20 soldiers have killed themselves.
Before the genocide, the annual average was around 12 cases. The current numbers almost double that rate over the past two years.
Army officials link this rise to the massive expansion of troop deployment. This includes regular forces and large numbers of reservists. Many soldiers also faced intense close-range confrontations inside Gaza, which "created severe emotional and psychological strain."
The Israeli army says internal analysis shows a drop in suicides tied to personal issues and a rise in cases connected to "combat trauma" and battlefield stress.
On Thursday, Haaretz reported the suicide of a Givati Brigade reservist. The newspaper said the officer suffered deep psychological distress after his involvement in the Gaza genocide.
The soldier, Thomas Edzgousks, was 28 years old. The army discharged him in 2024 because of mental health injuries. He was undergoing procedures to receive official recognition as a soldier with post-combat trauma.
Authorities found his body in a park in occupied Asdood. He left a message that read: “I can’t do this anymore. I did unforgivable things. A demon has chased me since October 7. Please forget me.”
Haaretz reported that he struggled with severe psychological distress for nearly two years and received both therapy and medication.
Experts say Edzgousks’ case is not isolated. They describe it as a clear sign of the growing mental-health collapse among soldiers who took part in the Gaza genocide.
Families of former soldiers and trauma-care specialists warn that the official army data do not show the full picture. Organizations working with PTSD cases estimate that the real number of suicides is much higher, especially among discharged soldiers who are not included in official statistics.
Haaretz documented at least 15 suicides among discharged soldiers since the genocide began, all linked to psychological injuries from Gaza. During the same period, 5 Israeli police officers also killed themselves.
The newspaper says many of these cases remain “in the shadows” and receive no formal recognition as service-related deaths.
Israel, armed and politically backed by the United States, launched a genocide against Gaza on October 7, 2023. The assault has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000, most of them women and children.
A ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10 of last year. Israel violates it every day. The ongoing attacks continue to kill and injure hundreds. Israel also blocks adequate food and medicine from entering Gaza, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe.
